I‘ve always been someone who is influenced by the changing seasons: from my mood to the foods I crave, there’s a few things that come like clockwork for me as the months roll on. In the summer, I crave being by the water and I find that a beach or lake is super calming and mind-clearing for me. In the winter, I love getting cozy inside and cooking comfort food. Last week, before I left Arizona for Chicago, the temperature in the Valley of the Sun dropped and – just like that – my cravings for fall-themed foods arrived.
When I think fall foods, I think soup, stew and chili, of course, but I also think of certain flavors and specific foods, like cranberry, sage and walnut, all of which found their way into this meal. This dish is a simple fall-spin on simply roasted chicken and veggies, with the added step of searing the chicken before baking it to create the base for a pan-dripping gravy, another very fall thing, if you ask me. I added some ground sage and rosemary to the gravy, which gave it a distinctly Thanksgiving flavor, and the combo of earthy sweet potatoes, leeks, dried fruit and roasted nuts really completed the Holiday Season vibe I was going for.
This whole meal can be prepped and made in about 40 minutes, and couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s how I do it.
Baked Chicken With Pan Dripping Gravy & Roasted Fall Vegetables
This dish is all about fall flavors and has a deliciously distinct Thanksgiving vibe.
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Veggies
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 2 cups Sweet Potatoes {chopped}
- 2 oz Pancetta {or bacon}
- 1/4 cup Raw Walnuts {chopped}
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries or dried fruit of your choice
- 1 Leek {chopped}
- 1 package Sliced Brown Mushrooms
- 1/4 cup Chicken Stock
For the Gravy
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp White Flour
- 1.5 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 tsp Ground Sage
- 3-4 sprigs Rosemary {optional}
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
- Olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and pepper {to taste}
Instructions
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Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Heat a few tbsp of olive oil in a deep sided pan over medium high heat. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and sear in the pan until browned on both sides, about 4-6 minutes per side.
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While the chicken is searing, mix the veggies on a sheet pan and toss with olive or avocado oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Pop these in the oven to start roasting while the chicken finished browning, about 10 minutes.
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When the chicken is seared on both sided, place the breasts on the sheet tray with the veggies, add 1/4 cup chicken to stock to the sheet pan, and roast until the veggies are fork tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20-22 minutes.
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While the meat and veggies roast, make the gravy by first reducing the heat under the pan to medium low and melting the butter. When the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk quickly to incorporate. When the butter and flour have formed a smooth paste, add the stock, half at a time, and whisk to incorporate. Bring the gravy to a simmer and add the sage and the rosemary sprigs as well as additional salt and pepper, if desired. Simmer the gravy on low until time to serve. If gravy is too thick, add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until you achieve the desired thickness.
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Before serving, add the cream to the gravy and whisk to combine.
Recipe Notes
One serving includes 1 chicken breast, 1/4 of the roasted veggies and about 1/4 cup of gravy.