Chile-Thyme Chicken Breasts with Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Total: 45 min
  • Active: 20 min
This a quick and easy way to spice up your average chicken breast. Most people are bored with the white meat or don't approach it with any creativity. This recipe puts a great spin on the classic protein with a quick blender marinade. Expect the chicken to be juicy and seasoned well with heavy charring on the outside due to the natural sugars in the garlic and lemon. The marinade works well with anything, from vegetables to any type of protein, so be sure to save any excess marinade for future use. It lasts 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge.
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Ingredients

Brussels Sprouts:

2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 clove garlic, minced 

Juice of 1 lemon 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

Marinade:

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves

2 tablespoons sambal oelek (Indonesian chile paste) 

Juice of 1 lemon 

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

Chicken:

Two 5-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper 

Sweet Chile Sauce:

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons sambal oelek (Indonesian chile paste) 

1/4 cup white vinegar 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. For the Brussels sprouts: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss until the sprouts are thoroughly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until the sprouts are dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. 
  3. Meanwhile, make the marinade: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a quart-size deli container and blend until smooth with an immersion blender or simply whisk together in a small bowl.
  4. Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Add enough of the marinade to coat the chicken breasts completely and let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, if time allows. (Refrigerate any excess marinade and reserve for another use.) 
  5. Meanwhile, make the sweet chile sauce: Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl until fully incorporated. Set aside until ready to serve. 
  6. Cook the chicken: Heat a saute pan over high heat until smoking. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the smoking pan, add the chicken and cook, flipping once, until seared and cooked through, about 3 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and let rest for 3 minutes. Slice the chicken on a bias into 6 or 7 thin strips. 
  7. Finish and plate: Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts in the sweet chile sauce. Serve them alongside the chicken with a slotted spoon to ensure not too much of the sauce lands on the plate. 

Let's Get Cooking!

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Kelly Garver

This is so flavorful! I marinated the chicken for about an hour because, life. I served it with white rice. The tangy sweet and bit of spice in the sauce was just delicious.

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