Poached Chicken Breast with Romesco Sauce, Roasted Potatoes, and Lemony Fennel
Simple poached chicken, crunchy bright fennel, crispy creamy roasted potatoes and a roasted red pepper, smoked paprika, lemon sauce to smother on everything! This recipe was inspired by a favorite restaurant here in Portland and I don’t think I’ll be going back after developing it because it’s that good!
Ingredient highlight
Red bell peppers! are super nutrient-dense. They are high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin K, folic acid and loaded with anti-oxidants.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs red, yellow or fingerling potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ lbs lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3-4 breasts)*
- 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Chopped parsley, for garnish, optional
For the romesco sauce:
- 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup toasted almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup fresh parsley, optional
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 clove garlic, optional
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- *You can cook chicken any way you want – grilled, pan-fried, shredded, rotisserie, etc…If your chicken breasts are extremely large/thick, cut them in half lengthwise so they poach faster.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F or 425F convection. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the potatoes, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to the baking sheet and toss to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
- Place the chicken breasts in a large pot. Add enough water to just barely cover the chicken (about 3 cups) along with a generous amount of salt to season the chicken (about 2 tablespoons, you won’t be eating all that salt don’t worry!). Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to low. Flip each breast over, and simmer, covered, very gently for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through (160F), depending on how thick the chicken is. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it on a diagonal.
- To make the romesco, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. To make it thicker, add more toasted nuts. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
- Place the fennel in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Serve the warm chicken and potatoes smothered with romesco sauce and a side of crunchy fennel. Top with parsley, if desired.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Toast ½ cup nuts
- Cut 1 ½ lbs red, yellow or fingerling potatoes into ½-inch pieces
- Thinly slice 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs + make lemony fennel
- Make the romesco sauce
Substitutions
- To make vegetarian, substitute marinated cannellini beans for the chicken. Toss the drained and rinsed beans with some salt, vinegar, oil, and black pepper to give them some flavor.
- Substitute 1 cup chopped, roasted carrots for the bell pepper for a creamier, sweeter sauce
- Use any crunchy raw vegetable in place of the fennel. Thinly sliced celery or cabbage work great.
Storage
-
Store leftovers separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge
- Romesco sauce: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months
- Potatoes: up to 4 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing
- Warm the chicken and potatoes, serve with the fennel, romesco and an extra squeeze of lemon and fresh herbs.
- This sauce is SO good on SO many things, I’d recommend doubling it and freezing leftovers.
- Turn it into a Spanish taco!
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