Cooking Time: 50 minutes
This is one of the coziest dinner dishes. I was inspired by watching Erin French's show Getting Lost -- the episode with Clare De Boer. They used a whole chicken, but I wanted something that was sufficient for two so I used chicken thighs instead and topped them off with a layer of sourdough bread. Our base layer of fennel was a total experiment, and I couldn't have been more satisfied with the way it roasted under all the juicy goodness. We've tossed the fresh fennel in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, layered the chicken thighs with sprigs of fresh rosemary and sprinkled everything with a simple seasoning of salt & pepper. The juices from the fennel and chicken soak into the bread while baking as the rosemary also infuses into the dough. This is one of those recipes that seems more elaborate than it actually is -- a true one-pot dish made in the oven. And if you don't want to make the dough at home, you can always try it with a store-bought pizza dough!
Follow along with me HERE
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs*
3-4 fresh fennel bulbs, cut in strips
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper
200 grams worth of sourdough**
DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
Cut the fennel by removing the stalks and root. Slice it into strips and place it on the bottom of an oven-safe pot (with lid) lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle olive oil and balsamic over the fennel along with salt + pepper and toss until fully coated.
Add the chicken thighs on top.
Add the rosemary sprigs on top of the chicken thighs along with a drizzle of olive oil, salt + pepper.
Lay the sheet of sourdough on top of everything, pulling the edges over the chicken to make sure it is covered.
Put the lid ON and bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 425°F.
Remove the lid and bake for an additional 25 minutes -- the top will be golden brown.
*You can also use skin-on chicken thighs.
**For directions on how to make the homemade sourdough, follow along here.
