Chicken Fricassee & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We've recently found a love for Brussels Sprouts, despite the negative connotation the public seems to give them. These little gems are really quite delicious when seasoned properly, and I highly recommend you try them, even if you've had negative past experiences. The chicken is SO easy to cook -- marinate it overnight and it's ready to go whenever you are. Both recipes are from Cooking Light -- Chicken is from Jan/Feb 2009 edition, Brussels sprouts from Dec 2008.

Chicken Fricassee Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme
• 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

Directions

1. Combine mustard, 1 Tablespoon parsley, 1.5 tsp thyme and chicken in a large plastic bag. Toss well to coat -- chill 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Remove chicken from bag, discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan.
3. Add chopped onion to pan, and saute 5 min or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic to pan, and saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine and chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1 Tablespoon parsley and remaining 1.5 teaspoons thyme. Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 min until chicken is done. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, and keep warm.
4. Cook sauce, uncovered, over medium heat 4 min or until slightly thick. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tablespoons parsley.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chestnuts
Ingredients

• 4 cups trimmed and quartered Brussels sprouts
• 1 1/4 cups halved chestnuts (I roasted fresh ones)
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• dash of ground red pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine sprouts and chestnuts in a large bowl. Add oil, salt and peppers; toss well to coat. Spread in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until sprouts are tender, stirring after 15 min. Remove from oven. Add butter to sprout mixture, tossing until butter melts.