Menu
Chicken Beurre Blanc Sunday Dinner
Chicken thighs with lemon beurre blanc and finger lime, a watermelon feta mint salad, za'atar cauliflower with brown butter pistachios, and pastel de nata baked after dinner.
Serves 2 | Time ~2 hrs 30 min | Oven 425°F / 500°F
On the menu
A beginner-friendly dinner of chicken thighs with lemon beurre blanc and finger lime, a cool watermelon feta mint salad, roasted cauliflower with za’atar and cinnamon brown butter pistachios, and pastel de nata baked after dinner. Written for 2 people, made the same afternoon.
Serves: 2 Total time: ~2 hrs 30 min (5:00pm start for a 7:30pm dinner) Oven: 425°F for the cauliflower, 500°F for the pastel de nata
Menu
Shopping list (for 2)
Meat
- 4 chicken thighs
Produce
- 1 head cauliflower
- Watermelon (about 4 cups cubed)
- Mint
- Parsley
- Finger limes (at least 2)
- Lemons (2)
- 1 shallot
Dairy / Refrigerated
- Butter (about 1½ sticks)
- Eggs (4, for yolks)
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Feta (4 oz)
- 1 puff pastry sheet
Pantry
- Olive oil
- White wine
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla
- Za’atar
- Cinnamon
- Pistachios
- Honey, optional
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
Timeline for a 7:30pm dinner
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 5:00-5:10 | Set out ingredients; leave puff pastry on the counter to thaw |
| 5:10-5:20 | Pat chicken dry, season, and refrigerate |
| 5:20-5:45 | Make the custard; cover and refrigerate |
| 5:45-6:15 | Prep vegetables and toppings (cauliflower on sheet pan, mince shallot, chop pistachios and parsley, juice lemon, cube watermelon, tear mint, crumble feta) |
| 6:15-6:30 | Combine watermelon, feta, and mint; refrigerate (no dressing yet) |
| 6:30-6:45 | Roll puff pastry, press into buttered muffin tin, fill ¾ with custard, chill |
| 6:45 | Preheat oven to 425°F; take chicken out; cube 6 tbsp cold butter for the sauce |
| 6:55 | Roast cauliflower, 15 min |
| 7:10 | Flip cauliflower; start the chicken |
| 7:20 | Cauliflower out; make brown butter and pistachios |
| 7:23 | Make the beurre blanc in the chicken pan |
| 7:28 | Dress the salad; add finger lime |
| 7:30 | Plate and serve |
| After dinner | Heat oven to 500°F and bake the pastel de nata 12-15 min; cool, dust with cinnamon |
Notes
- The beurre blanc is the only truly time-sensitive part; keep the heat low and whisk in the butter one cube at a time so it does not boil.
- Do not dress the watermelon salad or add finger lime until right before serving.
- Assemble the pastel de nata before dinner so they only need a hot, fast bake afterward.
- Cauliflower can sit warm while the rest of the meal finishes.
Source
Distilled from chicken_beurre_blanc_watermelon_finger_lime_zaatar_cauliflower_pastel_de_nata.md