Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

The boyfriend has been finding all sorts of new recipes lately.  Among them was this winner (I haven't tried most of them yet to be fair) - it's quick to put together (and I'll be faster with more repetitions and less double checking measurements) and the whole meal is cooked together.  I used the full package of chicken thighs (six, but there's always one or two that are quite small) and found "rainbow carrots" at the store, which seemed close to the heirloom it calls for.


Ingredients
2 medium lemons
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound baby red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 small (12 ounces) heirloom carrots, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Directions
Adjust the oven racks in the center and bottom third, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with foil and spray with oil.

Slice one lemon into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut the second lemon in half.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, carrots, juice from 1/2 lemon, olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste, and toss well with hands until everything is evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer along with the lemon slices, without overcrowding, onto the prepared baking sheets.

Roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are golden, about 14 minutes. Flip the potatoes and carrots, rotate the baking sheets and roast until carrots are tender, potatoes are golden on both sides and chicken is cooked through, another 14 minutes.

Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lemon over everything. Top with feta, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon oregano. Serve immediately.

Chicken Fricassee with Peas

This recipe for Chicken Fricassee (or Frickin' Chick-a-see, as I like to call it!) pairs carrots, peas and ham with chicken in a delicious wine sauce.  The sauce is rather thin. If you want to make it thicker, you can simmer it longer or reduce amount of liquid.

The recipe calls for serving it over orzo, which I have not yet tried.  Tonight I served it with a boxed Parmesan pasta.

I'm not exactly sure where this recipe came from.  I clipped it from a magazine or newspaper several years ago.

Chicken Fricassee

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 tsp butter

3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup diced ham

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

2/3 whipping cream

3 cups hot orzo (I don't serve it with orzo)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook until browned, about 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from pan.

Add onions, carrot, ham and garlic to pan; saute until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  (I add a little more butter if needed).  Stir in broth and wine, scraping to loosen browned bits.

Return chicken to pan.  Bring to a boil.  Add peas.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is done, about 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon; keep warm.  Add whipping cream.  Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 8 minutes.

Spoon 3/4 cup cooked orzo onto each of 4 plates.  Top each with a chicken breast, 1/2 cup sauce, and 1 Tbsp parsley.