CHICKEN BAKED IN FOIL WITH SWEET POTATOES AND RADISHES
SERVES 4 • TO PREP 30 MINUTES • STORE 1 TO 24 HOURS • TO FINISH 40 MINUTES
Chicken baked in foil with some unconventional flavors, we combined radishes, celery, and sweet potatoes with ginger and toasted sesame oil. The hearty sweet potatoes protected the delicate chicken from the hot baking sheet and absorbed flavor from the chicken as it cooked. The crunch of celery and the bright, peppery flavor of the radishes were a nice complement to the earthy sweet potatoes. Fresh ginger punched up with spicy red pepper flakes gave the dish a bold, aromatic flavor that didn’t fade in the fridge. Nutty sesame oil, sliced garlic, and red onion provided an aromatic flavor base. A couple of tablespoons of rice vinegar and cilantro added just before serving contributed brightness and a fresh flavor to round out this dish. To ensure even cooking, buy chicken breasts of the same size. If using table salt, use only ⅛ teaspoon for each entire breast. Click here for more information on making a foil packet. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
4 radishes, trimmed and quartered
2 celery ribs, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths
½ large red onion, sliced ½ inch thick, layers separated
Kosher salt and pepper
4(6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
TO FINISH AND SERVE
2tablespoons rice vinegar
2tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
TO PREP
1. Spray centers of four 20 by 12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray. Microwave olive oil, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and pepper flakes in a small bowl until garlic begins to brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Combine potatoes, radishes, celery, onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and garlic oil in a large bowl.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon salt evenly on each side of each chicken breast, then season with pepper. Position 1 piece of prepared foil with the long side parallel to edge of the counter. In the center of the foil, arrange one-quarter of potato slices in 2 rows perpendicular to the edge of the counter. Lay 1 chicken breast on top of potato slices. Place one-quarter of vegetables around chicken. Repeat with remaining prepared foil, remaining potato slices, remaining chicken, and remaining vegetables. Drizzle any remaining oil mixture from bowl over the chicken.
3. Bring short sides of foil together and crimp to seal tightly. Crimp remaining open ends of packets, leaving as much headroom as possible inside packets.
TO STORE
4. Place packets on a large plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
TO FINISH AND SERVE
5. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, 18 to 23 minutes. (To check the temperature, poke thermometer through the foil of 1 packet and into the chicken.) Let chicken rest in packets for 3 minutes.
6. Transfer chicken packets to individual serving plates, open carefully (steam will escape), and slide contents onto plates. Drizzle rice vinegar over chicken and vegetables and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve.
TWO STEPS TO MOIST CHICKEN
Getting boneless, skinless chicken breasts to come out moist and tender is tricky, especially for a make-ahead meal. Our solution was to cook the chicken sealed in a foil packet, which allowed it to gently steam in its own juices. To make it a whole dinner in a packet, we added hearty sweet potatoes, peppery radishes, celery, and onion plus a flavorful Asian-inspired sauce.
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