Chicken with Roasted Vegetables in White Wine Sauce

Roasting root vegetables and tubers is one of the best ways to bring out their natural sweetness. The high temperature and very little oil caramelize the vegetables to seal in their individual flavors and nutritional values. It just doesn’t get any easier to create a simple, fresh side dish loaded with flavor and not a drop of guilt.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

• 2 medium purple beets, unpeeled
• 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1 1/2-2-inch pieces (cut thick ends in half)
• 2 medium shallots, peeled and cut lengthwise in half
• 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-2-inch pieces
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-2-inch pieces
• olive oil, for drizzling
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables for Roasting

For the Chicken

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each cut in half lengthwise (1- 1-1/4 lbs)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Preparation

For the Vegetables

1. Place the beets in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until barely tender, about 45 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let cool until cool enough to handle. Peel the beets and cut each into 4 pieces.

Cooked, Peeled Beets

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Place the parsnips, shallots, rutabaga, sweet potato, and cooked beets in a large, deep, foil-lined baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Rutabega, Parsnips, Sweet Potato, and Shallots

Vegetables Ready to Roast

1. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast 30 minutes. Remove and stir the vegetables. Return to the oven, uncovered, and roast 20 minutes longer.

Roasted Vegetables

For the Chicken

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear until cooked through, 6-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate.

Chicken Ready to Sear

Chicken Beginning to Sear

Seared Chicken

1. Add the wine to the skillet and cook, scraping up browned bits, 1 minute. Add the butter and lemon juice and stir until the butter melts. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn to coat.

Wine Sauce Beginning to Cook

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

To serve, place 1 chicken breast on each of 4 plates. Divide the vegetables alongside and spoon the white wine sauce over all.