Roasted Blueberry Chicken with Pecans

Monday is here and it’s back to the grind.  What a weekend.  I had a super busy weekend with holiday shopping, staff party, and preparing for my trip to Tennessee for business.  I am in Jackson TN for the next 4 days but don’t worry – I will be posting all the time I am there.

On to the food…

I have a recipe to share with you.  I never made this before last Wednesday but must say – It was my favorite meal in a long time.  I was so impressed with the flavor and texture.  Bare with me and I will let you know what I did.

I started off with Chicken Thighs, not just because they are light on the wallet but also because they have so much flavor and stay very juicy.  I had some blueberries that I wanted to use up as well so I thought to myself… braised chicken with a blueberry sauce – why not?

Again just like my motto emphasizes – if I can do it, anybody can do it.  This dish is so easy and simple yet the results are astonishing.

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken-Thighs (Bone-In)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Blueberries
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 2 Tbsp. White Sugar
• Juice of an Orange
• 1/8 Cup Roasted Pecans
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Pepper
• 1/8 Tsp. Dried Coriander

Method

1. Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F.
2. Preheat Skillet on high heat.



3. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and coriander.



4. Place skin side down in the skillet and cook for 6 minutes until skin becomes golden (you want to lock in the flavors – so don’t move the chicken around or flip it until it turns golden).



5. Once one side is browned, flip over and repeat the process.



6. Place chicken in a casserole dish or roaster.
7. For extra flavor, leave all the bits in the skillet, then add the butter, sugar, and orange juice to begin creating the sauce.



8. Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the blueberries and cook for 6 minutes.




9. Add the sauce over the chicken and cook at 350 Degrees for about 35 minutes uncovered.



10. Remove the chicken from the sauce and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place back in the oven to crisp the exterior.



11. Place sauce on stove top and bring to a boil to thicken.



12. Preheat dry pan and roast pecans for about 3-4 minutes  – moving and shaking them often to avoid burning.



13. Remove chicken from oven, top with sauce and finish with roasted pecans.



14. ENJOY!

Wow – That was a lot of instructions, but trust me it wasn’t as bad as it looks.  It is pretty basic, but the sauce is amazing.  By leaving the chicken bit from the original browning process the sauce is packed with flavor.  I cannot wait for you to try this and let me know what you think.

Zesty Tip: When sauteing any meat, fish, poultry , or even vegetables – the original browning process is crucial.  This is where the base of the flavor is created.  Be patient and let the food brown and form that beautiful crust/ golden color.  You will be very happy with the results.

Have a great Monday and look forward to hearing from everyone.

Take care

zesty

Tagged as: blueberries, braised, chicken thighs, pecans