MADDIE here, with a delicious cold-weather recipe. I've been recipe testing for a Christmas Scarf novella in my Country Store Mysteries. Robbie Jordan and crew decide to do a Twelve Days of Christmas theme for their breakfast and lunch recipes. Robbie declares that partridge is close enough to chicken to count, and she devises a roasted chicken with pears lunch special for "Partridge in a Pear Tree."
The three-novel collection should be out in fall of 2022, just in time for Christmas! Read down for a giveaway.
Roasted Chicken and Pears
The
chicken, fruit, and vegetables all roast together in the oven, and they
come out golden and caramelized, just the kind of crowd-pleasing dish you'll
want for your next dinner party.
Ingredients
2
large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1
onion, cut into 1-inch-wide wedges
2
tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2
tablespoons olive oil
1
teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse
salt and ground pepper
2
cups broccoli florets, 1 cup chopped stems
2 Asian eggplants, cut in inch pieces (not shown in Ingredients picture because I found them in the garden and wanted to include them)
2
tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2
boneless chicken breasts and 2 boneless thighs
2
firm, ripe pears (about 1 1/2 pounds total), halved, cored, and cut into
1/2-inch-thick wedges
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Season chicken on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, salt, and pepper, rubbing well into meat.
Push vegetables to edges of baking sheet; place chicken pieces in center, and roast 30 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven, add pears and broccoli florets, drizzle with another tablespoon of oil, and toss with vegetables to combine. Roast 30 minutes more. Serve immediately over rice or with fresh bread.
Readers: What's your favorite recipe including that quintessential fall fruit, pears? I'll send one lucky commenter a copy of my previous Christmas mystery in this series, Candy Slain Murder!
My most recent release is Country Store Mystery #9. No Grater Crime came out in August!
