Chicken with Rhubarb

During the summer I do one of two things for vegetables--I get them at the Farmer's Market or I join a CSA...well, let's face it, some summers I have just not really fully enjoyed the bounty of living in a farming state and skipped both of the above options.  However, it is a better summer with the first two options in play.

This year is a CSA year (too many Saturdays are occupied), and this is what we did with the rhubarb and some of the garlic scapes.

• 1 (5 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
• ~1 tablespoon salt
• ~1 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 2 tablespoons  olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions
• 2 stalks garlic scapes (or garlic cloves would work fine)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4-6 fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice (3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in a bowl with the thyme sprigs and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

2.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove thyme from bowl with chicken, reserving thyme.  Add chicken pieces to skillet and sear, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer pieces to a platter.

3.  Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion (white and light green parts) and cook until soft. Add garlic and reserved thyme; cook 1 minute more. Stir in wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of pan. Add rhubarb, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

4.  Return chicken pieces to pot in a single layer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes for breasts and 20 to 25 minutes for legs and thighs, transferring chicken pieces to a platter as they finish cooking.

5.  Whisk butter into rhubarb sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon sauce over chicken and garnish with sliced onion greens.