Chicken en Papillote with Spring Vegetables
Tender chicken breast and fresh spring vegetables steamed in parchment packets with white wine, lemon, and basil. The en papillote method traps steam, keeping chicken moist while vegetables soften. Elegant enough for dinner guests, simple enough for weeknight cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, sliced into quarter inch rounds
- 6 French baby carrots, sliced lengthwise in half
- ¼ cup white cooking winechicken broth1:1broth
removes alcohol content
- 2 ½ ounce cherry tomatoes, half cut in half
- ½ zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 4 ounce asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally in half
- 2 chicken breasts, patted dry
- 4 ounce shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced into half inch pieces
- ¼ ounce fresh basil, leaves removed from stems, sliced thinly
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- 2
Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice zucchini lengthwise then across into half moons. Set aside.
- 3
Trim asparagus by snapping thicker bottom ends where they break naturally. Cut diagonally in half. Set aside.
- 4
Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and slice into half inch pieces. Slice French baby carrots lengthwise in half. Slice lemon into quarter inch rounds. Set aside.
- 5
Remove basil leaves from stems, stack, roll, and slice thinly. Set aside.
- 6
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season each with salt and ground black pepper.
- 7
Place one chicken breast in the center of each piece of parchment paper.
- 8
Divide lemon, mushrooms, vegetables, and half the basil between the two pieces of parchment on top of chicken.
- 9
Add white cooking wine and olive oil to each packet. Bring edges of parchment to center and fold tightly. Place packets on a sheet pan.
- 10
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking.
- 11
Carefully transfer chicken and vegetable mixture from parchment to plates and garnish with remaining basil.
Tips
Ensure parchment packets are folded tightly to trap steam effectively and keep chicken moist.
Rotate the sheet pan halfway through baking for even cooking.
Good to Know
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.
Assemble parchment packets up to 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Serve directly from parchment packets for dramatic presentation, or carefully transfer to plates.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip patting chicken dry to avoid excess moisture that prevents proper cooking.
Do not fold parchment too loosely to avoid steam escaping and drying out the chicken.
Do not skip rotating the pan to avoid uneven cooking.