Sometimes keeping Thanksgiving casual is the way to go. Skip the laborious turkey. Choose an alternative grain. Honor seasonal produce, and be generous with the goat cheese.
Ingredients:
Chicken breast: 1 per person, look for an organic free-range option
Farro: 1/2 cup dry per person (it will double in size once cooked). Your ratio is 2-1 liquid to grain. 1 cup liquid for every 1/2 cup of farro.
Butternut squash: 1 cup roasted per person is plenty
Brussels sprouts: Roughly 6-8 sprouts per person depending on size. The larger ones are easier to shave.
Yellow onion: 1/4 cup small dice per person
Chicken stock: 1qt organic chicken stock or bone broth
Feta cheese: 1/4 cup per person
Pomegranate seeds: 1/4 cup per person
Fresh sage: 1 bunch
Herbs De Provence
Garlic powder
Olive Oil
Butter
Tools: Mandolin, cookie tray, parchment
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 375°F and line your cookie tray with parchment and set aside
- Choose a small-medium sauce pot with a lid depending on how much farro you are making. Keep in mind it’s going to double in size so it needs room to grow. Dice or slice the onion. Heat your pan to medium high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté onions for a few minutes. Add your farro to the onions and mix to coat. Add salt and garlic powder. Cook for a few more minutes. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, switch to low, cover with a lid. Cook until all liquid is absorbed.
- Peel your butternut squash whole. Be careful—it can become slippery. Cut off a bit of each end to remove the stem and bottom. Cut your squash in half and use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds. Split the squash in half short ways to make it easier to handle. Cut it into strips and make roughly 1-inch chunks. Layer the squash onto your cookie tray and season with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and Herbs de Provence. Roast for 30-40 minutes until golden and soft all the way through.
- Rinse brussels sprouts in cold water with a little vinegar. Adjust your mandolin to a thin setting (like you would use for a slaw). Shave your brussels carefully. Take your sage and remove the leaves from the stem. Stack them on each other and roll them up. Cut the sage into thin strips and put some aside for your chicken later. Heat a medium sauté pan on the stove. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and add the cut sage. After a couple minutes add your shaved brussels. Season with salt and add more oil if needed. The brussels sprouts will soak it up. After the brussels have started to cook down, you can add a splash of stock to steam them up. Remove once they are tender. Let rest in a bowl. Note: if you don't have a mandolin you can use a food processor, or just cut them thinly.
- Wipe down and reheat your medium sauté pan on the stove. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Pat your chicken breast dry with a paper towel then season with salt and Herbs de Provence. Put your chicken in your hot oil seasoning side down. This can be skin on or off. Let the chicken cook—resist flipping it too early. When you see the edges get brown then you can flip it. Let cook for several more minutes, then put the whole pan in the oven. Time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken but check it after about 15 minutes. When you take it out, finish with a little butter and a sprinkle of sage. Let it rest in all of that good flavor.
- This dish can be individually plated or it makes a beautiful platter. In a bowl, add your brussels, farro, and butternut squash. Mix together gently. Plate this as your base. Then slice your chicken breast and lay over the top. We used a bias or angle cut which makes for a great presentation. Make sure to cut across the shorter length of the breast and put your beautiful seared side up. Drizzle the butter/sage combo you made before over the chicken. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and the feta cheese.
Enjoy and share with the ones you love!
Ciao, Mia
healthywarriormealprep.com