Braised Chicken & Smashed Potatoes

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into large pieces. Large dice the potatoes. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Roughly chop the capers. Using a peeler, remove the lemon rind, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Halve the lemon crosswise. Thinly slice and deseed 1 half, leaving the other half intact. Pick the sage and rosemary leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Peel and finely chop the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, chopped sage, chopped rosemary, up to half the garlic paste, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the broccoli pieces on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast, rotating the sheet pan halfway through, 21 to 23 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the broccoli roasts, add the diced potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook 15 to 17 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly; return to the pot. Cover and set aside in a warm place.

While the potatoes cook, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

Add the sliced onion to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sliced lemon and olives; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the browned chicken, gremolata, broth, and the juice of the lemon half. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, occasionally swirling the pan, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the pot of cooked potatoes, add the chopped capers, vinegar, as much of the remaining garlic paste as you’d like, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Smash with a fork to your desired consistency. Serve the braised chicken with the finished potatoes and roasted broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!