Trying to find new things to do with chicken can get tricky after a while. I am always on the lookout for new ways to try making poultry with new sauces and flavors. because we eat so much chicken, you really have to try to vary things now and then so everyone does not get bored with just he same old meal. I found this recipe from Bobby Flay listed on the New York Times Cooking site (which is a great site and resource for recipes and articles by the way) and not only did it seem really simple but looked to use some different flavors to change things up for your chicken dinner. It is a very simple recipe for pan roasted chicken with a mint sauce. Bobby Flay uses bone-in chicken breasts for the recipe, but I used a combination of breasts and thighs and it worked out just as well I think.

Bobby Flay’s Pan-Roasted Chicken with Mint Sauce

For the Chicken:

4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground mustard

2 teaspoons ground fennel seed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the Mint Sauce:

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Serrano chile, seeds removed and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the chicken well, then dry it with paper towels. Season the chicken generously with kosher salt. Combine the paprika, cumin, ground mustard, ground fennel seed and black pepper in a small bowl and rub the mixture all over the skin of the chicken.

Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe saute pan or skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, put the chicken breasts into the pan skin side down and cook, unattended, until the skin is golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs. turn the chicken breasts over and then place the pan in the preheated oven. Roast the chicken until it is golden brown all over and the meat is cooked entirely through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a warmed platter and allow it to rest.

Meanwhile, place the mint, parsley, garlic and Serrano chile into a food processor and pulse the mixture into a paste. Add the honey and the Dijon mustard and pulse the mixture again until it is combined. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture has become emulsified. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and if necessary, whisk in a few tablespoons of water to thin the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon some of the sauce over each of the chicken breasts and serve, with the remaining sauce on the side.

The chicken turns out perfectly browned and crispy and the mint sauce is an excellent addition. It does have a little heat to it from the Serrano chile, so be aware of that if you are making it for anyone who doesn’t like a lot of heat. You could just as easily leave it out of the sauce. I served this with roasted potatoes and some roasted asparagus and it made for a perfect meal without a lot of fuss or work.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!