Garlic Chicken & Potatoes

... a few tuesday nights ago, i turned to my Food Network magazine to try and decide what to make for supper that night. i found a recipe for garlic chicken & potatoes and pumpkin-parmesan biscuits. i loved both these recipes, and they tasted great together! the only thing though was i had to use the oven to bake the chicken and bake the biscuits. my family only has one oven, so it takes a bit of strategizing at times. i had to learn this the hard way. there's been several meals where i didn't realize until it was too late that my dishes had to be baked at the same time but at different temperatures. well, by now i know i  have to be more careful when looking over my recipes. this time i made the biscuits a bit early so they were done just before the chicken was supposed to go in. 

the chicken and potatoes

the biscuits

Recipes: 

Garlic Chicken & Potatoes

TIME: 55 minutes   SERVES: 4

Ingredients: 

2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil             }
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)          }
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper      }     i doubled
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped                     }     the sauce
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar    }
1 lemon (1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges)   }
Pinch of red pepper flakes                          }
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions:

[1] Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the cumin seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Spread in a large baking dish and roast until the potatoes begin to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
[2] Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, lemon juice and red pepper flakes.
[3] Remove the baking dish from the oven, push the potatoes to the sides and arrange the chicken breasts in the middle. Season the chicken with salt and drizzle with the garlic mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven; transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice. Add the cilantro to the baking dish and toss with the potatoes. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and lemon wedges. Drizzle with the pan juices.

 Per Serving: Calories 474

Pumpkin-Parmesan Biscuits

TIME: 75 minutes  MAKES: 16 biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced, plus melted butter for brushing
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

[1] Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon parmesan. Add the diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Mix the pumpkin and cream in a small bowl and pour over the flour mixture. Mix with your hands or a fork to make a soft dough.
[2] Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle using a floured rolling pin. Cut out biscuits using a 2-inch-round cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the biscuits cool slightly before serving or cool completely and freeze.