With Italian spices, some diced fennel and toasty pine nuts, you’ll have a gorgeous supper in no time.

Makes 2 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 large bulb fennel, cored and chopped (3 cups)
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 chicken drumsticks (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds), skin removed
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss fennel and 2 teaspoons oil in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place rosemary, lemon zest, garlic, pepper and salt together on a cutting board. Rock a chef’s knife through the ingredients until they are minced into a fine paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and combine with 1 teaspoon oil. Rub the paste all over drumsticks.
4. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drumsticks; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. After the fennel has roasted for 10 minutes, stir in pine nuts and place the browned drumsticks on top of the fennel. Return to the oven and bake until the fennel is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a drumstick without touching the bone registers 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the pan. Toss the fennel with vinegar in the baking dish, scraping up any browned bits. Serve the fennel with the chicken.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 402 calories; 24 g fat (4 g sat, 13 g mono); 104 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 35 g protein; 5 g fiber; 460 mg sodium; 842 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Zinc (26% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Iron (15% dv).
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 lean meat, 3 fat

Tasty. I'd never tried fennel before and I enjoyed it roasted with the pine nuts.

Sally, Los Angeles, CA

This was HORRIBLE! TOO MUCH Rosemary. The fennel roasted on it's own had no flavor. After adding the paste on the chicken to the dish we tasted nothing but rosemary. A huge disappointment!

Patti, Valrico, FL

My review is only for the roasted fennel, I have not tried the chicken yet. The fennel is FANTASTIC. I never would have expected the vinegar and the pine nuts to make such a difference, but the flavors all blend together PERFECTLY. Since trying this recipe I've made it three times in one month, we love it that much. One tip is to let the fennel cook long enough to brown just a bit, and maybe use a few more pine nuts than the recipe calls for :)

Sarah, McKinney, TX

Both the chicken and the fennel are fabulous! I've made this twice already.

Donna, Atlanta, GA

I don't usually like fennel, but thought I'd give this a try. It is fantastic! The chicken is so tasty I ate 3 drumsticks! The fennel goes perfectly with the rosemary and pine nuts. The only recommendation I would make is cutting up more fennel than suggested as I came up a little short in the end and found myself wanting more fennel! Imagine that! Give this recipe a try.

Emily, Rohnert Park, CA