Braised Chicken and Brussels Sprouts in a Creamy Dijon Broth with Bacon

Last week Jon went to the produce store with a list which included my request to get 2 green veggies for dinners. He came home with broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I haven't made Brussels sprouts in several weeks, maybe a few months, but we both love them so I was looking forward to trying something new.

 

I planned on cooking chicken and since I really didn't feel like having a big mess to clean up, I started to think about one-pot cooking. I did some Google searches and came across a simple but elegant looking Martha Stewart recipe for Braised Chicken and Brussels Sprouts.

 

 

After reading it I did what I usually do - made a mental list of changes I'd make while cooking. The recipe called for a whole chicken but I used 3 chicken breasts. This also reduced the cooking time. I increased the liquid just a bit to have more sauce, used sweet onion instead of shallots, and garnished the dish with crispy, crumbled bacon. 

 

 

Now, I usually make a carb with dinner, but honestly, I didn't feel like it. And once I started to cook and plate everything, I realized we wouldn't even need one. Noodles or potatoes or rice would just take away from this dish.. although some good crusty bread would have been nice for sopping up the sauce. Next time!

 

We both loved this, and devoured the entire thing. The Brussels sprouts were perfectly fork tender, the sauce was tangy, and the bacon added a touch of salt and crunch. I can't wait to make this again.

Braised Chicken and Brussels Sprouts in a Creamy Dijon Broth with Bacon
Adapted from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil       
• 3 boneless chicken breasts     
• Salt and pepper      
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved      
• 1/2 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard      
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar      
• 1 cup chicken broth      
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4-5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook 3-4 min per side until golden brown, but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onions and Brussels sprouts to the pan; sauté 3 minutes
• Stir in mustard and cook 1 minute
• Add vinegar and broth, return chicken to the pan, and bring to a rapid simmer
• Cover and transfer to the oven until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
• Garnish with crumbled bacon