This dish bridges the gap between a quick sauté and a slow-cooked stew. It has all the comforting elements of a classic Sunday dinner with tender chicken, sweet baby carrots, crisp celery, and onions, but comes together in a single skillet in under 30 minutes.
The technique here is simple but transformative. By removing the cooked chicken and vegetables and boiling the broth down vigorously, we turn a thin liquid into a concentrated, savory glaze. This coats every bite-sized piece of chicken and vegetable in the essence of thyme and pan drippings, delivering deep flavor without the need for heavy cream or thickeners.
The Recipe
Yields: 4 Servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 2 cups diced onion
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Brown the Chicken Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until it is light brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
2. Simmer with Vegetables Add the celery, baby carrots, and diced onion to the pan. Toss everything together to coat the vegetables in the flavorful pan juices. Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle the dried thyme over the mixture. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce the Sauce Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the chicken and vegetables to a separate bowl, leaving the liquid in the skillet. Increase the heat to high and boil the liquids vigorously until reduced to about 1/2 cup. This should take about 7 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly and intensify in flavor.
4. Glaze and Serve Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything in the savory reduced sauce. Serve hot.
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Skillet Chicken & Root Vegetables with Thyme
A comforting one-pan meal featuring tender chicken thighs, sweet baby carrots, and celery in a rich, savory thyme glaze. A wholesome dinner ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
Brown the Chicken
-
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until it is light brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
Simmer with Vegetables
-
Add the celery, baby carrots, and diced onion to the pan. Toss everything together to coat the vegetables in the flavorful pan juices. Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle the dried thyme over the mixture. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Reduce the Sauce
-
Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the chicken and vegetables to a separate bowl, leaving the liquid in the skillet. Increase the heat to high and boil the liquids vigorously until reduced to about 1/2 cup. This should take about 7 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly and intensify in flavor.
Glaze and Serve
-
Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything in the savory reduced sauce. Serve hot.
