This was pretty good. The chicken was very simple: just a bit of salt and pepper for seasoning, but it went well with the fava beans. And the wine and broth combine to make a nice sauce for the beans. The beans themselves were nice. But I found peeling them pretty annoying. It's fairly labour-instensive for something that's good, but not great. I think, if I did it again, I might try using peas or a combination of peas and lentils. The fava beans definitely provide a unique flavour and texture, but it's not special or desirable enough for me to want to go to the effort of peeling a kilo of legumes for it! I think other legumes would be different, but still quite good.

Chicken Breasts with Fava Beans

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 900g fava beans, shelled
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. schmaltz (or other fat)
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. white wine
• 3/4 c. chicken stock, divided

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the fava beans, and cook for ~5 minutes.
2. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Once cool enough to handle, peel the tough outer skin off of the beans.
4. Bisect the chicken breasts lengthwise to form 8 wide, thin pieces of chicken.
5. Season with the salt and pepper.
6. Melt the schmaltz over medium heat.
7. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through (4-5 minutes per side).
8. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
9. Add 1 Tbsp. of butter to the pan.
10. Add the green onions and garlic and cook for ~2 minutes.
11. Pour in the wine and cook until nearly evaporated.
12. Add 1/4 c. of the stock and the fava beans, cover, and cook for ~5 minutes.
13. Uncover and add the remaining 1/2 c. of broth.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for another few minutes.
15. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter.
16. Serve the beans topped with chicken.
17. Garnish with some parsley and extra green onion if desired.