I am not good about meal planning over the weekend.  I think it's because that part of my brain turns off when Friday rolls around.  So Monday for me is when I plan out my week and figure out all of our meals.  One thing is for sure when I am planning, and that is all of the meals have to be EASY and relatively fast too!  I recently did a round-up of my top ten easy weeknight meals, and this recipe that I am sharing with you today could easily get added to that list!  My spiced citrus fennel braised chicken thighs and carrots should most certainly be added to your weeknight dinner rotation!

This citrus fennel chicken is so good y'all.  It is a one pan meal (hello easy clean up), is packed full of flavor that the whole family will love, and it's healthy too!  I love to use skinless boneless chicken thighs to make it a lighter dish, but use the thighs because they get tender fast and I love the flavor of the dark meat here.  You could definitely swap chicken breasts instead if you wanted to and it would be just as delicious!

Every time I make this recipe I wonder why I don't make it on a more regular basis because it really is that good!  The sauce is spiced with cumin and clove, which makes for a warm and delicious pairing with the slight licorice flavor of the fennel that gets super sweet as it cooks and the bright citrus flavor of the orange!  This would definitely be a dish you could throw into your slow cooker or Instant Pot too and it would turn out beautifully!  I love to serve it up with some rice or quinoa, but you can skip this step totally and keep it low carb!

I can't wait for you to give this recipe a try for yourself!  It's so delicious and comforting while staying on the lighter side, which is the best of both worlds if you ask me!

Ingredients:

• 6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (can sub chicken breasts)

• 1 Bag of Organic Carrots, peeled and cut in half (about 10 large carrots)

• 1 Fennel Bulb, Sliced and Core and Stem Removed

• 1 Onion, Sliced

• Juice of 1 Orange + Zest

• 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

• 1 Tsp. Cumin

• 1/4 Tsp. Ground Cloves

• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

• 1 Tsp. Salt + More if needed

• 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper

• Rice or Quinoa for Serving (optional)

Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

• Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 of the salt and pepper liberally.

• When pan is hot add coconut oil, and then add chicken to the pan, careful not to overcrowd for proper browning. You may need to do this in two batches if your pan isn't large enough.

• Flip chicken after about 3-5 minutes when a crust has formed and repeat on the other side.

• Remove the chicken from the pan and add onion, fennel, and carrots to the pan. Season with the rest of the salt and pepper and cook for 5-10 minutes until onion and fennel get tender.

• Add cumin and clove to the vegetables and sauté for another minute until they become fragrant.

• Deglaze the pan with orange juice and chicken stock and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan.

• Add chicken back to the pan and nestle in the vegetables and stock.

• Put the lid on the chicken and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

• Serve over rice or quinoa if desired.

I can almost taste the flavors here guys!  It's a gorgeously rustic dish that is good for you and your whole family will love and you need to make it ASAP or Pin it and save it for later!