The radish is a vegetable that is typically consumed fresh, at least in this country. But in many culinary traditions, radishes are eaten both fresh and cooked. Daikon, the long, white Asian radish, is an important ingredient in many traditional soups, stews and other cooked dishes, in addition to being eaten fresh or preserved in a pickled form. Like other members of the Brassicaceae family, the flavor of radishes is earthy and pungent, frequently bordering on downright spicy. Cooking tends to tame their spiciness and leaves them with a tender, but pleasantly firm texture.
Radishes are inexpensive to buy, but they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. We grow several crops of fresh radishes in our small garden every year, beginning in early spring. Radishes grow quickly, often reaching harvest size in just over a month. If you stagger the planting every week or two, you can have fresh homegrown radishes for nearly half the year.
While you can use any part of a chicken in this dish, we prefer to use thighs with the skin left on. The dark meat is perfectly suited for a quick braise, becoming very tender while staying moist and juicy during the short cooking time. If you decide to use other parts of the bird, such as the breast, we suggest that you leave it on the bone.
There is another ingredient in this recipe that is particularly worthy of note: Velvet Bees Honey Butter. Sure, we’ve all had whipped “honey butter” before, but Velvet Bees Honey Butter is different. Made with five, simple all-natural ingredients, Velvet Bees Honey Butter is something of a honey-caramel hybrid. You just have to taste it to believe how good, how creamy and satisfying it is – without being cloyingly sweet. One tablespoon (only 57 calories) was all it took to glaze the chicken to perfection.
Honey Butter-Glazed Chicken with Radishes
Radishes might seem to be an unusual ingredient to be included in this oven-braised dish, but they make a wonderfully flavorful counterpoint to the rich, dark chicken thighs. An easy glaze of honey butter and lemon zest finishes the chicken to perfection.
- 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 bunches of radishes, trimmed and cut in half
- Handful of sturdy greens, such as arugula, kale or spinach
- 1 Tbsp honey butter
- Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Sprinkle the chicken with a little salt and pepper. We used thighs because they are particularly good in braised dishes, but you could use any part of the chicken.
Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Place the chicken thighs into the pan skin-side down. Cook until the skin is evenly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Turn the chicken and brown the opposite side, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Pour off most of the oil, leaving about a teaspoon in the pan.
Place the halved radishes into the pan, cut-side down. Season with a little salt and pepper. Put the chicken on top of the radishes, skin-side up. Mix together the honey butter and Meyer lemon zest in a bowl. Brush the top of the chicken with half of the mixture (you’ll use the rest in a few minutes).
Slip the uncovered pan into the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, then brush the remaining honey butter-lemon zest mixture onto the chicken. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, about another 15 minutes (30 minutes total) or until the juices run clear when a thin knife is inserted close to the bone.
When the chicken is done, transfer the pieces to a plate. Toss the greens into the pan and gently stir them into the roasted radishes until slightly wilted. Season with a splash of fresh lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spoon the radishes and greens onto warm plates and place the chicken on top.
Many of the ingredients used in this recipe, and other recipes on the Earthy Delights Blog, can be purchased online at our retail website, Earthy.com. We welcome you to visit the Earthy.com website to view our extensive selection of hard-to-find ingredients and our complete Recipe Collection of over 500 tested recipes.
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