Roasted Chicken and Roots with Apricot
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 beets, each cut into 1-inch pieces
1 butternut squash, peeled & seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ½ TBSP extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dried apricots
2 TBSP water
Sea salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Heat oven to 450o. In a large glass bowl, stir cut vegetables with 2 TBSP of the olive oil. Pour prepared vegetables into a glass baking dish in a single layer; roast for 10 minutes (vegetables will not yet be all the way tender).
In a large pan on medium, heat the remaining olive oil (approx.. ½ TBSP); cook chicken on both sides, approximately 4 – 5 minutes each, until lightly brown. Remove from pan. Add the chicken to the vegetables in the glass baking dish; add the dried apricots and 2 TBSP water. Season lightly with salt and pepper if desired Cover with foil and roast chicken, vegetables and apricot together, 15 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, remove foil. Serve together, including cooking juices if you like. This is the ultimate Fall comfort food!
