Cooking Light Slow-Baked Chicken Thighs with Tomato, Fennel, and Lemon

By NorbergRhonda

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 cups shaved fennel (about 2 bulbs)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained
• 12 garlic cloves, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slice
• 3 lemons, sectioned
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 (1-ounce) slice whole-wheat bread
• 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into a 13 x 9–inch glass or ceramic baking dish; tilt to coat bottom of dish. Top with fennel.

3. Rub salt into chicken; arrange chicken over fennel. Hand-crush tomatoes; tuck between thighs. Scatter garlic and lemon over chicken; sprinkle with thyme.

4. Cut 1 tablespoon butter into pieces; scatter over dish. Cover; bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 180°.

5. Uncover; bake 45 minutes, basting every 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Combine bread and cheese in a food processor; pulse for coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over chicken; drizzle with basting juices. Bake 10 minutes. Top with parsley.

Variation:

Tomatillo and Chayote Chicken: Sub onion for fennel, 3 cups diced chayote for tomatoes, and 3 chopped tomatillos for lemons. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano in place of thyme, increase salt to 3/4 teaspoon, and add 2 sliced serrano chiles with veggies. Rather than bread and Parm, use 3 tablespoons Cotija cheese. Top with cilantro instead of parsley; serve with lime wedges. Serves 6 (serving size: 4 ounces meat and about 2/3 cup vegetables) CALORIES 270; FAT 11.4g (sat 4.7g); SODIUM 467mg

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into a 13 x 9–inch glass or ceramic baking dish; tilt to coat bottom of dish. Top with fennel.

3. Rub salt into chicken; arrange chicken over fennel. Hand-crush tomatoes; tuck between thighs. Scatter garlic and lemon over chicken; sprinkle with thyme.

4. Cut 1 tablespoon butter into pieces; scatter over dish. Cover; bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 180°.

5. Uncover; bake 45 minutes, basting every 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Combine bread and cheese in a food processor; pulse for coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over chicken; drizzle with basting juices. Bake 10 minutes. Top with parsley.

Variation:

Tomatillo and Chayote Chicken: Sub onion for fennel, 3 cups diced chayote for tomatoes, and 3 chopped tomatillos for lemons. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano in place of thyme, increase salt to 3/4 teaspoon, and add 2 sliced serrano chiles with veggies. Rather than bread and Parm, use 3 tablespoons Cotija cheese. Top with cilantro instead of parsley; serve with lime wedges. Serves 6 (serving size: 4 ounces meat and about 2/3 cup vegetables) CALORIES 270; FAT 11.4g (sat 4.7g); SODIUM 467mg