Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

I'm on a roasted vegetable kick. I love the way that the roasting process brings out the natural sweetness of vegetables, condensing and caramelizing their inherent flavors and transforming even the most simple produce into dishes with complex, satisfying flavor. I've been roasting lots of seasonal root vegetables - carrots, parsnips, turnips. They're sweeter this time of year and especially delicious alongside pan-roasted chicken.

Nubby little fingerling potatoes are also particularly well-suited for roasting. Drizzled in olive oil and roasted with fresh garlic and herbs, they remain crispy on the outside and soft and dense on the inside. Elegant as an appetizer served with aioli for dipping, or as a healthy, comforting side dish for a weeknight supper.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken

There are few aromas as wonderful as roasting chicken. Especially chicken slathered in butter, lemon, and garlic roasting away on an autumn afternoon. The citrus adds a bright, aromatic note to counter the richness of the butter, and the dish is finished with a flavorful sauce made from pan drippings and a touch of cream that is just as delicious atop the chicken as it is drizzled on accompanying potatoes or vegetables.

Pan-roasting is my go-to method for mouthwatering, succulent chicken. Browning the meat on the stove first locks in moisture and creates beautifully crispy, golden skin. Then the chicken is finished in an oven, still in the pan with the drippings and a flavorful stock, until it is evenly roasted to golden perfection. In less than an hour, you have a deliciously tender, luscious meal that tastes like it took hours of preparation.

This recipe is equally befitting of a cozy weeknight in, or a night of elegant entertaining.

Recipe after the jump...