- 3 small fennel bulbs (about 2 3/4 pounds), trimmed, quartered lengthwise
- 3 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 6 boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
- Cook fennel bulbs in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain; cool.
- Toss fennel, bell peppers, olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped thyme in large bowl to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Preheat broiler. Using mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast between sheets of plastic to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, on broiler pan.
- Watching closely, broil chicken 4 to inches from heat source until golden brown and almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove broiler pan from oven. Pour off any pan drippings. Using tongs, turn chicken over and broil until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour off any additional pan drippings.
- Working in 2 batches, arrange peppers and fennel in single layer on broiler pan. Broil until vegetables begin to brown and peppers and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer vegetables to platter with chicken.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in remaining 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, lemon peel and fennel seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle butter mixture over chicken. Garnish chicken with thyme sprigs, if desired, and serve.