Simple Chicken Skillet Dinner with a Sweet-and-Salty Twist
On this week's Chopped Dinner Challenge, the chefs of Food Network Kitchen chose to feature the basket ingredient grapes. While raw grapes are the perfect way to add a touch of sweetness to a salad, or just for snacking on their own, cooking with them might not necessarily be the most obvious choice. But in this recipe for Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Olives, the sweetness of the grapes works together with salty ingredients like olives and capers to create a balanced dish that the entire family will love — and it puts grapes in a whole new light.
Start working on the chicken by sprinkling it liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then sear the chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, 3 to 4 minutes.Transfer the chicken and any juices to a baking sheet or large plate.
Using the same pan, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, 1 cup of the grapes, the olives, capers, oregano, wine and 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes.
Next, stir in the butter. Add the chicken and any juices back to the skillet, skin-side-up. Sprinkle the remaining grapes around the chicken. Continue cooking over medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, 6 to 8 minutes.
Place the skillet underneath the broiler to crisp the chicken skin, about 2 minutes.
To serve, divide the warm couscous among 4 plates and top each one with the chicken thighs and a large spoonful of the sauce.
Get the recipe: Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Olives
The Chopped Dinner Challenge is a series of recipes showing you how easy it is to cook like a winning Chopped Competitor. Every week, FN Dish will showcase a recipe created by Food Network Kitchen that uses at least one of the Chopped basket ingredients from an episode, plus basic grocery goods and simple staples. Consider it your very own Chopped Dinner Challenge. Just take this frequent tip from the judges: Don't forget to season!
