Roasted Chicken with Dried Plums and Shallots

Bone-in, unskinned chicken breast halves work well for roasting because the meat stays moist in the oven's high heat. Substitute dried apricot halves for dried plums, if you prefer.

Total time: 50 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half, about 1/3 cup vegetable mixture, and 3 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 4  bone-in chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided
• 8  garlic cloves, peeled
• 4  large shallots, peeled and halved (about 8 ounces)
• 2  thyme sprigs
• 1  large fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges
• 16  pitted dried plums
• 3/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/4  cup  dry white wine
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450º.

Drizzle oil in a small roasting pan or the bottom of a broiler pan. Place pan in oven 5 minutes or until oil is hot. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken, skin sides down, in pan. Arrange garlic, shallots, thyme sprigs, and fennel around chicken; sprinkle vegetables with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Turn chicken over; stir vegetables. Add plums to pan. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and vegetable mixture from pan; discard thyme sprigs. Discard skin. Loosely cover chicken and vegetable mixture; keep warm.

Place pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Combine flour and remaining 1/4 cup broth, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan; stir until well blended. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until slightly thick. Stir in chopped thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve sauce with the chicken and vegetable mixture.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

384 (30% from fat)

Fat:

13g (sat 3.3g,mono 5.8g,poly 2.4g)

Protein:

36.6g

Carbohydrate:

31g

Fiber:

5.1g

Cholesterol:

96mg

Iron:

3.1mg

Sodium:

632mg

Calcium:

95mg