Saffron-Infused Chicken with Lemon and Fennel

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender chicken thighs cooked with aromatic saffron, fresh lemon, and fennel for a fragrant, restaurant-quality main dish. This Mediterranean one-pot recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, saffron threads, and lemon for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 410 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 25 min Serves 2 Mediterranean cuisine 410 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat 12 oz bone-in skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper on all sides.
  2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook for 3 more minutes.
  3. Step 3: Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 medium thinly sliced fennel bulb to the skillet, stirring for 2 minutes until fennel softens but retains some crunch.
  4. Step 4: Add 1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1/2 cup chicken stock to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken to the skillet, skin-side up, and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
  5. Step 5: Remove from oven, arrange lemon slices around the chicken, and cook uncovered for 2 minutes to warm the lemon. Serve immediately with pan juices.

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