The simple things -- Chicken

After a week away from my own bed and kitchen I can't help but be appreciative of some simple preparations that make a wonderful meal. I had an abundance of split chicken breasts that were at the must cook now stage so I figured a divide and conquer plan -- red wine chicken soup ( a nod to coq a vin) and simple roasted chicken. This made the most of my prep time ... and allow me to relax since both dishes take their own sweet time either on the stove or oven.

Did I tell you that on our trip we visited the Salvation Army "stores" in Healdsburg? Always looking for a cool find, this place is a bargain hunters paradise! If you are up that way you should check it out. I found a couple of little plates and bowls on half-off day! Score! You'll be seeing them sometime soon.

Tonight's special - roasted chicken breasts with mushroom-wine risotto.

Crisp skin on Thyme Roasted Chicken and Mushroom-Wine Risotto

I dearly love a nice crispy skin on my roasted chicken, tho I admit I usually remove it before I eat the moist tender flesh. I like to lay a bed of sliced yellow onions, a couple of crushed garlic cloves, fresh thyme sprigs and a bit of wine and chicken broth underneath the breasts to allow the flavor to rise up into the flesh while the convection oven and a brush of olive oil does the crispy work on the skin.  Then, the resulting broth that remains gets strained and goes into the risotto broth tying the two preparations together. Note on timing -- Day One I roasted the chicken and Day Two I reheated the breasts while preparing the mushroom risotto using the off the box recipe on the Trader Joe's Arborio Rice, with added butter, cremini mushrooms and my Day One chicken stock.