Chicken — Brussels Sprouts Salad — The Season That’s Almost Here

Finished the first magazine column and sent it in. Eight hundred words about the elk chili — the seven years, the dried chiles, the non-alcoholic beer, the moment the recipe was finished and what finished means. The editor wrote back within a day and said it was exactly what she'd hoped for and they'd run it in the October issue with a recipe card. The October issue. Elk season issue. The timing is right.

Started elk scouting this week. Same bench above the spring in the Crazies, same early morning, same three miles in from the trailhead. The aspen are beginning to turn and the sign at the spring is good. There's evidence of a large bull in the same territory as last year, or a similar animal. I'll know more next week. Scouting is mostly about confirming that the same things are still true: the spring still flows, the animals still use the terrain the same way, your understanding of the place still matches the place. Most years it does. Occasionally it doesn't and you adjust.

Had a good therapy session this week. I won't detail it. I'll say that Dr. Crain asked me what I'd do if the thing I'm afraid of didn't happen. If I was known and seen and it didn't end the way I expect it to end. I said I'd lived in that expectation for so long that the alternative is hard to make real in my mind. She said: That's the work. Making the alternative real. I'm doing the work.

Made a pot of chicken stock from the Sunday chicken carcass and bones accumulated in the freezer since July. Five hours, the house filling with the smell that means fall is close and winter is coming and you're being smart about it. The stock went into the freezer in quart jars, labeled September. The invisible infrastructure of the coming year.

The stock goes in the freezer labeled September, and that’s enough — the work is done, the jars are sealed, the house still smells like something good happened here. But stock is infrastructure, not dinner, and after five hours tending a pot I wanted something that used the same seasonal logic: Brussels sprouts coming in, a little sharpness, a little warmth, something that felt like it knew what time of year it was. This Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Salad is exactly that kind of recipe — not complicated, not showy, just right for the moment when the aspens start to turn and you want to eat like you’re paying attention.

Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Salad

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for dressing)

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment.
2. Roast the Brussels sprouts. Toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Spread cut-side down on half the baking sheet. Roast 20—25 minutes, until edges are deeply caramelized and centers are tender.
3. Cook the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry and season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook thighs 6—7 minutes per side until cooked through and golden. Rest 5 minutes, then slice or pull into pieces.
4. Make the dressing. Whisk together Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and minced garlic. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Assemble. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts on a platter or in a wide bowl. Top with chicken, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. Drizzle generously with dressing and finish with shaved Parmesan.
6. Serve warm. This salad is best served immediately while the sprouts are still warm. Dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 5 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 510mg