Fall can be a busy time of year for many of us with children going back to school and starting activities. Dinner becomes a rushed affair, leaving us stressed out as we try to come up with simple and fast meal ideas. Chicken is my go-to meal idea during these busy times. When Tony asks what we should have for dinner, I find myself saying, “well, there’s always chicken…”

That still leaves the problem of what to do with the chicken. Luckily, there are a lot of creative chicken recipes out there, and this chicken with lemon and fennel is one of them. It looks and tastes like a fancy meal, but it’s so simple to throw together.

If you’ve never cooked with fennel before, this recipe is a great chance to try it out. It’s crunchy and slightly sweet, and surprisingly high in nutrients. It makes chicken so much more interesting and sophisticated.

Cole was in a very grumpy mood that day, so he didn’t like dinner and wouldn’t pose for a photo. In his place is his little sister, Ayla, who is just learning about eating solid foods. She gobbled this up, but that was no surprise. This baby will eat anything, and I mean anything that she can get her chubby hands on. I actually found a staple in her mouth the other day (eek!).

Bennett liked it, except for the olives. He asked me what the “yucky green things” were, and spit them out into a disgusting blob on his plate. He ate everything else though, so I think that’s pretty good. I don’t know many kids who actually like olives. Cole liked them briefly as a toddler, but only the sliced black ones because they looked like wheels to him. I happen to love them, but I realize they are an acquired taste.

Tony liked this meal, or at least I think he did. He certainly made a lot of “mmmm” sounds.

Roast Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Lemon 

Adapted from The Kitchn

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups new potatoes, quartered
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 tbsp fennel frond, minced
4 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine
1 lemon (juice and zest)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup diced olives

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425F.
• Place quartered potatoes into a microwave-safe dish. Fill with about an inch of water at the bottom. Cover the dish and microwave on high for about 8 minutes, or until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients and place them in a large bowl. 
• Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl and toss the ingredients together, then pour them onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and everything has begun to brown nicely. 

Serves 4. Can be served with rice or bread, or on its own.

If you like this recipe, here are some other ones you might enjoy from Life Made Delicious:

Penne with Portabella Mushrooms and Fennel
Fennel Crusted Beef Strip Loin Roast with Port Wine Sauce
Roasted Garlic Oven Baked Chicken
Lemon-Thyme Chicken Legs

Here’s the latest news from General Mills to share with you. There’s a new brand of Greek yogurt called Yopa! I’m a big Greek yogurt fan so I can’t wait to try it out. Speaking of yogurt, don’t forget Yoplait yogurt tubes for school lunches.
Also, if you visit the Life Made Delicious facebook page, you’ll find out how to get a $1 off Butterball turkey and Chex cereal.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger Program through Mom Central Canada and I receive certain perks as part of my affiliation. Opinions are my own.