Seared Honey Chicken Thighs with Red Onion and Fettucine Skillet Meal
Seared tomato and honey chicken with spinach and red onion, all swirled together with fettuccine pasta for an easy one-pan weeknight meal!
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 tablespoon canned tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 small yellow onion cut into 1” pieces
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
- Prep the chicken through Steps 1-4 in the “Make it From Fresh” instructions, browning the chicken and cooking all the way through.
- Let the chicken cool to the touch
- Slice the onions and store in a bag with the fresh spinach
- Freeze prepped ingredients for up to 3 months, or store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Prepare From Prepped:
- If needed, thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge.
- Heat vegetable oil in large saute pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken, spinach, and red onion to the pan, tossing over the heat to lightly wilt the spinach
- Add the fettuccine, broth, and water to the pan and cover.
- Cook 3-5 minutes, then remove the lid and toss the contents.
- Replace the lid and cook a further 3-5 minutes, until the fettucine is cooked through.
Make From Fresh:
- Make sure the pan you’re using has nice high sides- at least 2 inches high, and has a tight-fitting lid.
- Heat the oil in a wide-bottomed pan over medium-low heat until shimmering.
- While the oil is heating, mix the butter, tomato paste, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl.
- Lightly season the chicken all over with salt, then toss in the bowl to coat with the tomato paste mixture.
- Place the chicken, skin side down, on the hot pan, and sear the chicken on either side until lightly browned, turning after 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Add the spinach and red onion, and toss each with the chicken to lightly wilt the spinach.
- Add the uncooked fettuccine and pour the chicken broth and water evenly over the top.
- Add the lid and let cook 3-5 minutes, then remove the lid and toss the contents of the pan with tongs evenly. Add the lid again and cook a further 3-4 minutes, until the fettuccine is cooked through.
Notes
This dish builds flavor with every ingredient added to the dish; the sauce sears onto the chicken, the onions add sweetness, and the vegetables and starches build the meal to its finished perfection.
I sometimes like making this recipe with green beans and potatoes, which keeps it a little lighter and makes for good leftovers the next day, too. I've included instructions below for swapping out the spinach and fettucine for green beans and potatoes.
I sometimes like making this recipe with green beans and potatoes, which keeps it a little lighter and makes for good leftovers the next day, too. I've included instructions below for swapping out the spinach and fettucine for green beans and potatoes.