It’s not every night that we have an hour or more to make dinner. That’s why we’re always on the hunt for recipes that are easy to make in 30-45 minutes. The other thing we look for is whether this recipe will make enough for leftovers. If the recipe makes enough so that we can also have leftovers, that’s a plus. This Weeknight Chicken with Peas and Carrots recipe fits both of those criteria.
The other great thing about this recipe is that it uses just five ingredients. No big long list of specific ingredients here. In addition to the standard seasonings you probably have in your pantry, this only calls for chicken, peas, carrots, garlic, and lemon. Despite the simplicity, it’s a delicious recipe that only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Did you see last week’s Friday post? You can find it at Old Point Loma Lighthouse – a look into history. Click here to see more recipes.
Weeknight Chicken with Peas and Carrots
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2-3 lbs chicken thighs (Use bone-in with skin or boneless, skinless. Adjust cooking time for bone- in. Room temp for best browning.)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 2 lemons (1 zested (about 1 tablespoon) and both lemons juiced (about 5 tablespoons) )
- Soy sauce (For gluten-free substitute coconut aminos,)
- Honey
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper to taste. (See note)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large high-sided, oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with oil. Place the chicken skin-side down in the skillet. Season with salt (if desired) and pepper.
- Cook undisturbed until the chicken easily releases from the pan and is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Cut the carrots into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the carrots and garlic and turn them in the oil to coat. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and the carrots are softened and caramelized in places, About 30 minutes..
Remove the pan from the oven and add the frozen peas, lemon zest, juice. Drizzle with honey and soy sauce and return to the oven to warm for 5 minutes.
If cooking with stainless steel (it’s all we use in our kitchen), the chicken should brown more easily if you let it come up to room temperature before starting to cook. (You don’t want it to get warm, but to not be refrigerator cold).
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Ooh that does look and sound yummy!