• Blog
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tools
  • International LOVE
  • Love Notes
  • Shop
  • Powered by MSI Media Group

Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Chicken Breasts with Carrots and Leeks

September 18, 2013 by Mary Frances 21 Comments

Pan roasted chicken breasts with carrots and leek, garnished with parsley on a white platter.

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. It is a great go-to weeknight meal as it is quick, easy and delicious. It is even relatively low fat! The chicken always comes out perfectly done, moist and yummy, and it presents itself as much more gourmet than the time it takes to make. You can also vary the vegetables and herbs or add garlic or lemon. It is fancy enough for a company dinner and super easy on you!

Although my photos show 4 breasts, the recipe is for 2. Or make extras for another meal.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CARROTS AND LEEKS – serves 2

2 chicken breast halves, bone in, skin on, washed and patted dry
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp. olive oil – yes only 1 tsp. is needed
1 carrot – peeled and sliced into very thin julienned strips
1 leek – white part only, cleaned and sliced into thin julienned strips
6 thyme sprigs
2 tbs. dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tbs. chicken stock
1 tsp. unsalted butter (optional)
2 tsp. chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Trim any extra fat off from the chicken breasts, discard, and salt and pepper both sides.

Heat oil in a non-stick, oven-proof skillet on medium-high to high heat. Place chicken breasts in, skin side down, and brown for 6 minutes. Turn breasts over and scatter the thyme, carrots and leeks all around and under the chicken. Especially make sure the thyme is under the breasts, otherwise it will just burn in the oven and not impart its flavor. Pour in the white wine and chicken broth and place the skillet in the oven for 18 minutes. Check with an instant read thermometer, it should read 155 – 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.

Raw chicken breast with salt and pepper on them.Julienned carrots and leeks with fresh thyme on a cutting board along with a bottle of white wine and mortar and pestle.

Chicken breasts with carrots and leeks in a skillet, roasting in the oven.

When done, remove the breasts to a platter to rest for 5 minutes. Boost the oven up to 425 degrees and put the skillet back in the oven with the vegetables and sauce. Make sure your carrots and leeks are tender. Remove skillet from the oven and swirl in the butter, if you are using. The butter makes the sauce richer, but it is not necessary if you are watching your waistline.

Place the vegetables on top of the chicken and drizzle the sauce over all. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Smile and serve with LOVE! It’s so pretty!

Since this is one of my absolutely favorite, no-fuss, gourmet-looking and gourmet-tasting chicken dinners, I’ve selected it to submit to the Delicious Chicken Recipe Contest at Plated.com.

Related

You might also like:

  • Ginger-crusted halibut with rice and salad.Ginger-crusted Halibut
  • Wilder Condiments Honey Jalapeño Mustard with Leeks on Roasted Sea Bass.Wilder Condiments Honey Jalapeño Mustard with Leeks on Roasted Sea Bass
  • Super Quick Sausage, Potato & Arugula Recipe-close up shot on a blue French platter.Super Quick Sausage, Potato & Arugula Recipe
  • Carrot ginger soup finished in a Le Creuset pot.Carrot Ginger Soup – Perfect to Start New Year’s Eve Dinner
  • Browned chicken covered with chopped tomatoes in a pot.Amazing tomato chicken braise

Filed Under: Dinner, Poultry Tagged With: carrots, chicken breasts, dry white wine, easy weeknight dinner, leeks, pan seared and oven roasted chicken breasts, thyme, vermouth

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Security check- *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Rosemary Mullally says

    September 18, 2013 at 11:59 AM

    Nice presentation! Your fresh thyme looks great!
    Rosemary Mullally recently posted…Wake Me Up!My Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 19, 2013 at 4:49 PM

      Thank you! That’s thyme from my garden upstate!

      Reply
  2. Daleen Wilson says

    September 18, 2013 at 12:03 PM

    Ha, you did it again. Somehow, you swirl and twirl the words and the glorious pictures…………..that you have this 90% vegetarian drooling.
    Oh, you have a way about you.
    Thanks for sharing such goodness (she said while using a napkin to wipe off the drool.)
    Always, always enjoy stopping by.
    D
    Daleen Wilson recently posted…help your marriage, do a jigMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 19, 2013 at 4:50 PM

      Thank you Daleen!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Reply
  3. apuginthekitchen says

    September 18, 2013 at 2:32 PM

    So lovely and simple, the carrots, leeks and thyme are wonderful with the chicken and that sauce sounds divine!
    apuginthekitchen recently posted…12 Years Ago Today….My Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 19, 2013 at 4:51 PM

      Suzanne – this is really really good and really really simple!

      Reply
  4. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    September 19, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    I would love to sit down to this for dinner!
    Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted…Flourless Chocolate CookiesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 20, 2013 at 8:13 AM

      Thanks Maureen!! It is yummy – and super easy. I think your father-in-law would even like it!

      Reply
  5. tinywhitecottage says

    September 19, 2013 at 9:55 AM

    Such a clean beautiful dish. Your knife skill are impeccable! Love the photograph with the julienned carrots and leeks.
    tinywhitecottage recently posted…wilted kaleMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 20, 2013 at 8:14 AM

      Thank you!! The secret to knife skills is having great sharp knives!

      Reply
  6. Francesca says

    September 19, 2013 at 10:05 AM

    Looks like a lovely dinner for a chilly fall night !
    Francesca recently posted…Chermoula Eggplant with bulgar and yoghurtMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 20, 2013 at 8:15 AM

      Totally!! This one is actually great anytime of year.

      Reply
  7. Bam's Kitchen says

    September 20, 2013 at 12:54 AM

    I love this simple, but elegant recipe. We all need some quick and healthy go to meals for busy week nights. Have a super weekend. BAM
    Bam’s Kitchen recently posted…Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with Spinach and Feta and Roasted PeppersMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 20, 2013 at 8:16 AM

      Exactly!! Thank you! Have a great weekend too!

      Reply
  8. Raymund says

    September 23, 2013 at 4:17 AM

    That looks delicious!
    Raymund recently posted…Grilled Chicken and Peach Mango SalsaMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 23, 2013 at 12:15 PM

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  9. The Healthy Epicurean says

    September 25, 2013 at 3:34 PM

    Wonderful combination – simple but delicious, especially with the thyme.
    The Healthy Epicurean recently posted…Sardine and tomato tart and terribly vain dogsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      September 26, 2013 at 2:20 PM

      Thank you!! I LOVE thyme! Subtle but great!

      Reply
  10. Paige Conner Totaro says

    October 9, 2014 at 6:21 PM

    Nice! And easy!

    I found it helpful to cover the pan when I returned it to the oven after removing the chicken.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      October 10, 2014 at 12:47 AM

      Yes that’s probably a great idea, Paige! Insures those carrots will cook! Thank you!

      Reply
  11. Peter says

    March 8, 2017 at 7:39 PM

    I never do this – but this was great – try it

    Reply

Join 32k+ followers!


Never miss out on a recipe!

Subscribe to receive new posts via email:

Mary Frances

Mary Frances

Spread love through cooking.

Summer Favorites

Easy Cheesy Sautéed Squash The Best Potato Salad Super Quick Chicken and Summer Vegetables Stir-fry Chimichurri-ed Wilted Endives with Walnuts Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup with Apple Garnish Best Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp to make now!

Categories

  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Cocktails
  • Contest
  • Cookies
  • Cookware and tools
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Events
  • First Course
  • Fish
  • Food Responsibility
  • Guest Post
  • Lunch
  • Meat
  • Pasta
  • Poultry
  • Products for sale
  • Salads
  • Sauces
  • Sides
  • Soups
  • Tea time
  • Travel
  • Vegetables

Pages

Blog
About
Recipes
Tips and Tools
International Love
Love Notes
Shop
Mary's secret ingredients

Blogs We Love

  • 1840 Farm
  • A Pug in the Kitchen
  • Cottage Grove House
  • Food, Photography & France
  • Food52
  • From the Bartolini Kitchens
  • Go Bake Yourself
  • Hotly Spiced
  • Jovina Cooks Italian
  • Lavender and Lime
  • Orgasmic Chef
  • Smitten Kitchen
  • Sophie's Foodie Files
  • Steven’s Wine and Food Pairings
  • That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • The Pioneer Woman
  • The Squishy Monster
  • Tips on Food and Drinks
  • Yummy Chunklet
  • LOVE - the secret ingredient


  • GET IN TOUCH
  • E mary@lovethesecretingredient.com

· All Rights Reserved ·© 2016 Love- the secret ingredient. All rights reserved. Disclaimer | Privacy Policy Disclosure Policy Terms & Conditions