A healthy meal with delicate flavors that are beautifully paired: freshly toasted fennel seeds, lemon zest + juice, fresh herb sprigs, honey, and feta. Everything comes together on a single sheet pan- a perfect easy dinner!
Now, many of you have probably put together that I am very much on a fennel kick- but this recipe is the first I’ve roasted it. Game changer.
Fennel has a licorice-type flavor to it which can be a little overwhelming if not paired well, but roasting it mellows out those notes completely and transforms them into a deeply sweet and nuttier. I think I could eat an entire sheet pan of just the apples and fennel if I’m being honest!!
For the sheet pan, we’re adding tart apples (mildly sweet apples would be great too! I’d recommend Granny Smith for tart, or if you like a sweeter apple, I’d recommend a gala or pink lady), sliced fennel bulb, potatoes, yellow onions, and chicken. We let all of these roast with fresh herb sprigs (rosemary and thyme) then we plate it up with lots of fresh feta, lemon zest, a drizzle of honey, and the fronds (the little leaves that look like dill) from the bulb of fennel. So delicious!
Full recipe is below. I hope you love this recipe :)
For the marinade:
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted then crushed into a fine powder
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest + more for finishing
1 tsp kosher salt, + more to taste
½ tbsp honey
Lots of cracked black pepper
For the sheet pan:
1-1.5lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used cubed breasts because I was in a pinch, but thighs give extra flavor!)
1 small yellow onion
1 Granny Smith apple (sub gala or pink lady for sweeter)
1 small bulb fennel, white part only, sliced thinly (save the fronds for garnishing)
1lb gold potatoes, quartered or halved
Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs for roasting
honey, for drizzling
feta, lemon zest, and chopped fennel fronds, for serving
Toss chopped potatoes + onion with 2 tbsp of the marinade and add to sheet pan.
Pour the rest of the marinade into a bowl, along with the chicken, apples, and fennel.
Roast potatoes and onions at 425F for 15 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and add chicken, fennel, and apples to pan. Pour any excess marinade over top, then toss everything on the pan to combine.
Spread everything out so that the chicken has a bit of space between everything. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top. Roast for 25-30 more minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and everything is lightly browned.
Remove from oven and drizzle with a touch of honey.
Serve with crumbled feta and freshly grated lemon zest, as well as the chopped fennel fronds if desired. Enjoy warm!!
Enjoy!! Check out my Instagram @abigailsapron to see me make this recipe :)
As always, stay tuned for more delicious healthy recipe inspo! I love experimenting with all of the produce in season this recipe is such a fabulous way to use it <3
With love,
Abigail