The Briny Lemon: Maple-Butter Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Sweet maple syrup and creamy butter make an easy, rich, and flavorful pan sauce for simple seared chicken breasts. A little balsamic vinegar adds its own tangy sweetness for extra depth of flavor.

Roasting vegetables brings out their natural caramelized flavor, and they need nothing more than a bit of seasoning and a light toss in olive oil.

This simple, homey dinner for four is ready in less than an hour—and I promise it’s a welcome sight on the dinner table on a cold winter night.

Note: Preparing vegetables of various shapes and sizes isn’t an exact science. Just cut the round, long, flat, and bulbous veggies into roughly the same bite-sized thickness and you’re ready to go. And if you’re not a fan of any of the veggies I used in this recipe, try sweet potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, other squash, or celery root instead.

Vegetables for Roasting

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-thick pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 4 wedges
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus small sprigs for serving
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Prepared Vegetables

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large, shallow baking pan with parchment paper.
Place the parsnips, squash, turnip, and onion in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss lightly to coat.
Spread the vegetables on the baking pan and roast until tender and browned, turning once or twice, about 30 minutes.

Toss with Seasoning and Oil

Ready to Roast

Roasted Vegetables

Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear until browned and cooked throughout, turning a few times, 13-15 minutes total, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate. (Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the skillet to help cook the thicker parts, if needed.)
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the maple syrup and butter to the pan, swirling to melt the butter and blend. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Stir in the fresh thyme leaves and vinegar. Cook 1 minute.
Return the chicken to the pan and turn several times to coat. Cook until warm throughout, 2 minutes.