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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Carrots

Chicken thighs braised quickly with carrots, fennel, and garlic for a mellow, spring-leaning skillet dinner. Fennel and carrots are both good seasonal choices in Washington right now, and the dish is distinct from your prior braises and roasts.

Generated image of the dish

Ingredients

  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
    1 lb 4.49
  • Organic Fennel
    1 bulb, sliced 5.49
  • Carrots
    1/2 lb, sliced on the bias 1.69
  • Jumbo Yellow Onions
    1/2 onion, sliced 1.49
  • Kroger® Fresh Diced Garlic
    2 teaspoons 3.49
  • FREE RANGE CHICKEN BROTH LOW SODIUM - SIMPLE TRUTH ORGANIC - 32 OZ
    3/4 cup 1.67
  • Parsley
    2 tablespoons chopped 1.69
  • Pompeii® Lemon Juice
    1 teaspoon 2.50
  • pantry olive oil
    1 tablespoon
  • pantry dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon
  • pantry salt
    to taste
  • pantry black pepper
    to taste
  • Joel Gott California Unoaked Chardonnay California White Wine
    750 ml $13.99 (sale)

Instructions

  1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add onion, fennel, and carrots. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until beginning to soften.
  4. Add garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds.
  5. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken to the skillet.
  6. Cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the vegetables are soft.
  7. Uncover for the last few minutes if you want the broth slightly reduced.
  8. Finish with chopped parsley and serve.

Total time: 45 minutes

Estimated cost: $10-13

Health notes: Protein-rich, vegetable-heavy, and naturally lower in carbs if served without starch.

Drink pairing: Unoaked Chardonnay

Wine picks:

  • Joel Gott California Unoaked Chardonnay California White Wine $13.99 (sale) 750 ml
  • Smoking Loon Unoaked Steelbird Chardonnay California White Wine $8.99 (sale) 750 ml

Why it works: Bright, unoaked Chardonnays are a smart match: their zippy acidity and citrus/green-apple notes lift the lemon and cut through the richness of braised chicken thighs, while the clean, herb-driven profile complements fennel and thyme. I recommend a mid-weight, balanced bottle as the primary pairing and a lighter value pick if you want to stretch your budget.

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You asked

turn temp down when chicken returned to pot for simmer?

Careme

Yes. Turn it down to low or low-medium when the chicken goes back in. Goal: - A gentle simmer, not a boil. Why: - Keeps the chicken tender - Lets the fennel and carrots soften evenly - Prevents the broth from reducing too fast So: - Brown chicken on medium-high - Cook vegetables on medium - After adding broth and returning chicken, lower to low/low-medium and cover for the simmer

You asked

remove thyme leaves from the stem? chopping recommended?

Careme

Yes—strip the leaves from the stems. Discard the woody stems. Chopping: - Not necessary if the leaves are small/tender. - If the sprigs are a bit larger, give the leaves a quick rough chop. For this dish, I’d strip the leaves and lightly chop them if they’re clumpy.

You asked

Fresh or dried thyme better?

Careme

Fresh is better if you have it. Why: - It matches the lighter fennel-and-carrot profile better. - It tastes brighter and less woody in a quick skillet dish. Use: - 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves If using dried: - Use about 1/2 teaspoon Either works, but fresh is the better choice here.

You asked

calorie estimate?

Careme

About 450–550 calories per serving, for 2 servings. Rough breakdown per serving: - Chicken thighs, 1/2 lb: ~280–330 - Olive oil: ~60 - Fennel: ~35 - Carrots: ~25 - Onion, garlic, broth, lemon: ~20–30 If you serve it with: - Rice: add ~100–130 per serving - Bread: add ~80–120 per serving - Potatoes: add ~130–170 per serving So: - On its own: ~500 per serving - With a starch: usually ~600–700 per serving

Recipe score: 7/10

Planned by Careme.