Honey Glazed Chicken with Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree
The wet weather has put me in mind of chicken and mashed potato, which has to be one of my all-time favourite comfort meals.
This time, I decided to mix this classic meal it up a bit for some added nutrition and flavour.
Tender chicken mini-fillets are coated in a sweet honey glaze and perfumed with a light sprinkling of rosemary and the mash is a colourful puree made with sweet potatoes and carrots which are blended into a smooth puree with butter and olive oil.
Serve with a hit of clean, steamed greens on the side and this is one comfort meal you can almost feel virtuous about polishing off.
Method
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 25 mins
Peel the potatoes and carrots. Cut the carrots in four lengthways and then chop into 2.5cm pieces. Cut the potatoes into pieces approximately twice as big as the carrots. This will mean that they are ready at the same time.
Put the carrots and potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and boil for around 15 minutes until soft. Turn off the heat.
Carefully, dip a small mug into the pan and collect some of the cooking water. Drain the carrots and potatoes in a colander.
Blend the vegetables in a food processor or blender with a tablespoon of olive oil and a splash of the cooking water. You may need to do this in batches. Add the water a little bit at a time to loosen the mixture so that it will form a puree but be careful not to add too much or it will become sloppy.
When you have completed the blending, put the puree into a large bowl and beat in the butter. Add salt and pepper to season the puree to taste. Cover the bowl to keep warm whilst you cook your chicken.
Remove the rosemary leaves from the tough stalks and chop along with the garlic. Set aside a small amount of the rosemary to use at the end.
Gently heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan and add half the chicken fillets. Cook for 2 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned on one side, turn over and add half the garlic and rosemary. Cook for another two minutes until the other side is lightly browned too. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and cover whilst you repeat the process with the remaining chicken, garlic and rosemary.
To make the glaze, remove the last batch of chicken from the pan and add the honey and lemon juice. Gently heat the mixture while you stir it until it starts to bubble. Add the chicken and any juices from the plate into the pan. Stir the chicken around in the glaze, turning each piece so it is coated on both sides. Pushing the chicken pieces against the bottom of the pan will help it to pick up the glaze.
When the chicken is well coated in the glaze, turn off the heat.
Divide the puree between your plates and add the chicken pieces. Use a spoon to collect any of the remaining glaze from the pan and drizzle it over the top of dish for extra sumptuousness.
Sprinkle with the last of the rosemary and serve.
Ingredients
500g carrots
500g sweet potatoes
800g chicken mini fillets (3 -4 per person)
40 g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
4 tsp honey
1/2 lemon juiced
Fine sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
