JAS_OH1
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I used my large cast iron skillet to sear and roast tarragon-seasoned and marinated chicken thighs, and then cooked my root vegetables in the same pan so as to absorb the yummy juices from the chicken while cooking. If you don't have a big enough cast iron skillet, you might end up having to use 2 medium sized cast iron skillets, as you don't want to crowd items you are trying to sear or caramelize.
I made a lemon-tarragon cream sauce (Recipe - Lemon-tarragon cream sauce) to drizzle over both the vegetables and the chicken. The crispy chicken skin and tender, roasted root vegetables complemented each other nicely, and the lemon-tarragon cream sauce gave the dish a lovely pop of flavor. I am definitely going to make this again!
Marinade ingredients:
6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp EVOO
Juice from 1/2 lemon plus zest
1/2 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of ground black pepper
Vegetable mixture:
4 small red potatoes
4 carrots (I used white, orange, and purple carrots)
1 turnip
2 parsnips
1/2 red onion
1/2 bulb of garlic
4 oz mushrooms
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
Additional ingredients:
For this dish you will need 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for browning the chicken (not included in my ingredient list below).
Chopped green onion (spring onion) and parsley for garnish
Recipe for lemon-tarragon cream sauce here: Recipe - Lemon-tarragon cream sauce
Preparation method:
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Place chicken in the mixture, coating thoroughly on both sides and flip several times. Cover the bowl with the chicken in it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Cut all of the vegetables into approximately 1/2" to 3/4" pieces. Put them in a bowl with olive oil and seasonings. Peel the garlic cloves. Set the mushrooms and garlic aside.
In a large cast iron skillet (I used one that is 15" in diameter), add the butter and olive oil to the pan, then brown the chicken thighs skin side down on medium heat for approximately 6 minutes. If using a large pan like I did, you may have to rotate the pan occasionally to heat it properly and sear more consistently. Flip the chicken over when the desired browning has occurred and cook for 5 more minutes.
Remove the chicken and put it on a plate and set it aside. Add the root vegetables to the cast iron skillet and cook in the oven on 425F for approximately 30 minutes. The vegetables should have reduced in size enough to add the chicken back into the pan.
Add the garlic cloves and mushrooms. Cook the chicken thighs and the vegetables together for an additional 30-40 minutes (the internal chicken temperature should be approximately 175F).
Ladle a generous amount of the lemon-tarragon cream sauce over the chicken and the vegetables, add some of chopped herbs and green onion, and return to the oven for an additional 3 minutes at 450F to allow the chicken skin to become crispy again.
Plate and add a touch more of the herb/green onion for garnish. Enjoy!
Notes: some people might prefer to trim the chicken thighs of extra skin to reduce the fat, but I chose not to do this as the crispy chicken skin is so flavorful and the fat from the chicken really amplifies the flavor of the vegetables.
If you don't have a really big cast iron skillet, you might have to use 2 smaller ones. You don't want the vegetables or the chicken to be crowded in the pan, or they will steam instead of getting getting a nice sear.
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