Poulet avec Potager Jardin/Farmer's Chicken and Vegetables

Let's  talk about  gardens (jardin) and green beans (haricot vert).  When I was a little girl about five years old, my parents bought an acreage-- a little bit of country in the city limits.  There was a creek where I caught crawdads in a coffee can, a treehouse to read my Happy Hollister mysteries and barns to explore.  I had a surplus of animals; chickens (which make wonderful pets), ducks, bunnies, dogs, cats and gray and red squirrels that even when we let them go, always came back to their hutch for treats and cuddles.

Because there was 10 acres of land, my father had a very large garden.  I would run barefoot through the cool dirt, picking and eating anything that was ripe.  Somedays, I would lie down at the edge in the soft, green grass and watch the clouds go by.  They werent just clouds, they were castles, dogs, dragons and frilly ladies dressed in white. The long rows of vegetables grew bush beans, green beans, scarlet runner beans and probably every variety of peas my father's country store had in inventory.  The corn was tall and a wonderful hiding place where I could imagine my fairy tale friends and never have a care.  The sun was warm, the rains plentiful and life was as good as it could possibly be when your world is surrounded by nature.

This dish so reminded me of that garden, I wanted to share with you those earthy flavors that take me back to a time where the fragrance of my mother's roses and flowers lingered in the summer air. A child's world of wonder and discovery. A simpler time. A safer place.

Farmer's Chicken and Vegetables

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Pam a medium-sized baking dish

3-4 c fresh green beans (or frozen--let thaw before using)
6 small red potatoes, quartered, unpeeled
4 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic. chopped
two chicken breasts, cut into card deck-sized pieces for even cooking
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp1 c grated swiss cheese
1 onion, halved and sliced
Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
salt and pepper to taste

In a gallon ziploc bag, combine olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Add chicken pieces to marinate while you prepare the vegetables, allow 15 minutes to marinade chicken.

Microwave bacon until crispy. Set aside.

Remove chicken to plate. Add chopped vegetables to marinade and coat well. Place vegetables in baking dish and pour chicken broth over all. Spread out Panko bread crumbs on paper plate or wax paper and coat chicken pieces. Place chicken pieces on vegetables. Lightly drizzle all with olive oil, sprinkle herbs, salt, pepper and lightly scatter Panko crumbs over top. Sprinkle swiss cheese and bacon pieces evenly over all.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in center. I recommend you loosely tent with aluminum foil for the first 25 minutes, then remove foil for remaining time. When chicken is no longer pink in middle and top has slightly browned, remove from oven.

A wonderful, healthy meal on cold, winter evenings. Serve with a chunk of artisan bread and your favorite wine.

Bon souvenirs enfant