RECIPE: Broiler makes quick work of weeknight roast chicken

“Roast” Chicken with Grapes and Rosemary. Henri Hollis/For The AJC

Credit: Henri Hollis

Credit: Henri Hollis

“Roast” Chicken with Grapes and Rosemary. Henri Hollis/For The AJC

Weeknight roast chicken is one of those dishes that sounds good in theory, but ends up taking too long for a workweek meal. This is not one of those chicken recipes.

Inspired by an old recipe from the Smitten Kitchen food blog, this roast chicken is, in fact, broiled. Because it uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into thin cutlets, it requires very little cooking time.

You can start with 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast cutlets, but I prefer to cut them up myself from two large breasts. This way, I know I’m getting four even portions of chicken instead of cutlets of varying thickness (and therefore varying cooking time). Simply hold a sharp chef’s knife next to the chicken breast, parallel to the cutting board. Use short, definitive strokes to slice through the chicken breast as you’d slice open a bagel, forming two thinner lobes.

Start the chicken in a hot pan with olive oil before adding fresh rosemary and red grapes, then transfer the skillet to the broiler. After 10 minutes, the chicken will be cooked through and ready to rest. While it sits, stir together a quick pan sauce using white wine and chicken broth; it’ll mingle with the grapes and herbs for a sweet, tart and herbal top to a roast chicken that is easy to pull off even on a busy weeknight.

“Roast” Chicken with Grapes and Rosemary. Henri Hollis/For The AJC

Credit: Henri Hollis

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Credit: Henri Hollis

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