Herb-Basted Chicken with Pearl Barley, Bacon, and Root Vegetable Pilaf
A hearty and flavorful dish featuring roasted chicken breasts basted with herb butter, served over a rustic pilaf of pearl barley, crispy bacon, and seasonal root vegetables. The combination of fresh thyme and rosemary infuses both the chicken and the pilaf with aromatic herbs.
Ingredients
- •2 cups water
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •1 cup pearl barley
- •6 ounces bacon
- •1 whole shallot
- •1¼ cups root vegetables
- •⅛ teaspoon sugar
- •2 teaspoons lemon juice
- •½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- •½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
- •6 tablespoons canola oil
- •4 pieces chicken breasts
- •2 tablespoons butter
- •½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- •½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Bring 2 cups water and salt to boil in medium saucepan. Mix in barley. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain barley.
30 min
- 2.
Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add shallot; stir 30 seconds. Add cubed vegetables and sugar; sauté 6 minutes. Add barley, lemon juice, and herbs; stir 2 minutes. Mix in bacon; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Cover and place in oven to rewarm while chicken roasts, adding water by tablespoonfuls to moisten if dry.)
10 min
- 3.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until skin browns, about 7 minutes. Add butter and herbs to skillet; stir to blend. Turn chicken skin side up. Place skillet in oven; roast chicken until cooked through, basting occasionally with herb butter, about 20 minutes.
27 min
- 4.
Divide pilaf among 4 plates; top with chicken. Spoon pan juices over.
3 min
