Roasted Chicken Breasts with Fresh Beans & Sage
Available in late summer and early autumn, fresh shell beans have a sweet, creamy taste that cannot be matched by their dried counterparts. Fresh shell beans should be eaten within a few days of purchase, before they dry out. Remove the beans from the pods just before cooking.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh shelling beans, shelled
- 5 Tbs. olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
- 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breast halves, tenders removed
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Put the beans in a heavy pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the garlic, bay leaf, sage and the 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat so the beans simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Add more water to cover the beans, if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt. Set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan and sear for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, pour any pan drippings around the chicken and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon the beans and a little of their cooking liquid alongside the chicken and drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cooking from the Farmers’ Market, by Tasha DeSerio & Jodi Liano (Weldon Owen, 2010).