Chicken Supreme with Root Vegetables

• servings: 4
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the root vegetables

- 12 baby carrots

- 8 baby turnips

- 4 baby golden beets

- 4 baby red beets

- 1 small bunch rosemary

- 1/2 small bunch thyme

- 1 bunch parsley

- Sea salt

For the chicken

4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp grapeseed oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Remaining half bunch thyme

1 stick butter, divided

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup brandy (or a splash of apple juice)

3/4 cup veal demi-glace

Shaved white truffle (optional)

Directions

MAKE THE ROOT VEGETABLES

Make the root vegetables. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Wash all the vegetables thoroughly and dry them. Form a bed of rosemary, thyme, and parsley in a roasting pan. Lay the vegetables on top, season with salt, and seal tightly with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Let the vegetables heat up, about 1 minute, until you hear crackling, then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook the vegetables until they are knifetender, 30 to 40 minutes depending on size.

MAKE THE CHICKEN.

Place a large skillet over high heat and add grapeseed oil. Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic and thyme.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, into the pan. Don’t move the chicken until the skin releases and browns on the edges, about 4 minutes. Tilt the chicken to the edge of the pan, searing the sides, about 10 seconds per side.

Flip the chicken and add 6 tablespoons butter. As the butter melts, carefully and continuously spoon it over the chicken, basting the skin until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken back to skin side down, and transfer the pan to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate to rest. Drain the excess fat from the pan into a small bowl.

Reserve the garlic and thyme. Place the skillet back over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the shallots and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Return the garlic and thyme to the pan. Continue to cook until the shallots caramelize, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.

Lower the heat and pour the brandy or apple juice into the pan. If using brandy, be careful of the flambé caused by the alcohol burning off. Scrape the bottom of the pan clean. Add the demiglace, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce cook for a few minutes, then strain it into a small saucepot. Push the shallots and garlic into the strainer. Put the saucepot back over the heat and cook until the sauce is reduced, about 5 minutes.

Halve the cooked vegetables and arrange on plates. Separate the chicken tender from each breast and slice the breasts, then transfer all chicken pieces to plates. Drizzle the sauce around the chicken, being careful to not moisten the crispy skin. Grate the white truffle over the plates, if using, and serve.

Notes

“Never cook chicken stone-cold; it goes dry before it’s cooked in the center.”

Gordon Ramsey Master Class