Orange & Brown Butter Chicken

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the collard green leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then thinly slice the leaves. Halve the orange crosswise; squeeze the juice into a bowl. Roughly chop the pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling.

Carefully rinse the rice (sifting through for any impurities). Drain thoroughly. In a small pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced collard greens and as much of the chopped pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the collard greens are slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the collard greens are wilted and the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board. 

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 165°F for chicken.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat the butter and pepitas on medium-high until the butter has melted. Once melted, cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the foam subsides and the butter is fragrant (it should smell nutty and toasted). Season with salt and pepper. Add the orange juice (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and honey (kneading the packet before opening). Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the sliced chicken with the garlic rice and cooked collard greens. Top the chicken with the pan sauce. Enjoy!