If like me, you tend to buy fennel on impulse and then find yourself stuck for ideas on how to use it, here’s a great new chicken and fennel recipe it will be perfect for! This easy one-tray meal combines crunchy fennel and sweet shallots for a deliciously hearty, yet healthy Mediterranean-vibe midweek dinner that you can enjoy with family or friends. You can use chicken legs or thighs too; they work well in this dish and will make it even more flavoursome. It’s incredibly easy to put together and a perfect one to make ahead; either so it’s ready to cook or simply reheat in the oven before serving.
To make this high fibre Chicken and Fennel recipe, you’ll need:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp mixed Italian herbs
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons zest of lemon
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8-12 shallots, peeled and halved lengthways
- 1 large (or 2 smaller) fennel bulb, cut into thick wedges (see tips)
- 1 tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes
- 1 handful green olives
- 4 bay leaves
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary (or thyme)
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil for marinade and drizzling
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Combine the chicken with the fennel seeds, dried herbs, lemon zest, garlic with the olive oil and mix well. Leave to marinate; the longer you can leave the better.
Meanwhile, stand the fennel bulbs upright and halve vertically, from the top (fronds) down towards the base. Now lay each half flat on the cut side, remove the stalks (do not discard) and then slice each bulb into wedges, about 1cm thick, using the markings as a guide. Place the wedges along with the stalks (halve them if they are too thick) and fronds into a large, deep baking dish.
Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently combine them so they are evenly coated.
Place the marinated chicken (including any marinade) over the vegetables and then add the cannellini beans, olives, fresh herbs and tomatoes on top. Drizzle with olive oil, gently mix to combine and cover with foil.
Simply combine all the ingredients in one tray and pop in the oven
Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the fennel is soft. Allow to settle for 10mins or so before serving.
Serve hot with quinoa or brown rice and a side green salad.
Option
You may like to try this with a firm white fish instead of chicken? Thick Cod, hake or haddock fillets as well as monkfish are ideal. They will need less cooking time and can be prepped ahead, ready for the oven but ideally eaten fresh.
Do let me know how you get on with this recipe in the comments below!
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