Over the past few months, we’ve been partnering with Foster Farms on their big New Comfort Food campaign- you’ve probably already seen Alyssa’s yakitori and my Braised Chicken with Green Olives. As I was brainstorming ways to update more of my favorite comfort food recipes, I kept coming back to one dish: TWA.
I know what you’re thinking. TWA is an AIRLINE, not a food. Sadly, I can’t tell you WHY we called the dish TWA (except that it was listed as such on the recipe), but I can tell you what it was: chicken and broccoli casserole, creamy and topped with lots of cheddar cheese. I love it so much it’s the dish I most often ask my mom to make for my birthday, but it takes FOREVER for a household of two. Hours of boiling and cutting and chopping and stirring and grating. Whew, I’m actually a little bit tired just writing about it.
So, in its honor, I’ve created this one sheet pan balsamic chicken served with crispy roasted broccoli that’s EASY and fast and YUMMY. Quick meals completely win dinner these days, wouldn’t you say?
According to a Foster Farms survey, 81% of Americans care more about the quality of their ingredients than they did 5 years ago- which prompted Foster Farms to examine their products and come up with new initiatives. Their New Comfort Food platform focuses on food that is simple to prepare and that transitions traditionally heavy dishes into more healthful ones, and this recipe is no exception.
For this simple sheet pan dinner, I’ve paired Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken thighs with fresh broccoli and sweet onions- you can either buy a large head of broccoli at the local farmer’s market or pick up a package of florets when you grab your chicken. Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken is a great choice because it’s locally grown on the West Coast and is never produced with antibiotics. Another plus: you can find lots of chicken cuts (like the thighs I’ve used here), not just boneless skinless breasts.
- 1 package Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken thighs
- 1 package broccoli florets (or one large head of broccoli, washed and cut into florets)
- 1 large onion, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set your rimmed baking sheet into the oven to preheat as well.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Once pre-heated, set the chicken thighs skin side down onto the baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken cooks, toss the broccoli florets with salt and one tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
- Whisk together balsamic vinegar, one tablespoon of olive oil and dijon mustard.
- After the 15 minute cook time has passed, turn your chicken thighs over (to skin side up). Arrange sliced onions and broccoli around the chicken thighs.
- Drizzle balsamic vinegar mixture over all ingredients in the sheet pan.
- Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the chicken skins are crispy and brown.
- Cooking the chicken skin side down on the pre-heated baking sheet helps crisp up the skin!
I served this dish both on its own and over brown rice (both are delish, depending on your preference) and kept going back to the pan to sneak more bites. In fact, we both went back so many times there wasn’t even much to speak of for leftovers!
Now tell me about your New Comfort Food faves- I’d love to create more delicious dishes inspired by the things you love to eat!
Thank you to Foster Farms for sponsoring this post, and thank you to our readers for supporting the brands we love and trust!
