Nothing says comfort
on a cold winter night than a nice breast of chicken in a sumptuous sauce.
I love this dish because it can be on the table in a half an hour, or
less, and is comprised of ingredients that I always have on hand. A bit
of pre-prep is called for, however. First of all, use boneless, skinless
chicken breasts purchased fresh from your grocer's meat counter. Wait for a
sale if you must, but please do not use the frozen bags of desiccated chicken
breasts. The difference between the two is remarkable. Second, place your
chicken into a lidded container and pour 1-1/2 cups of buttermilk over it and
let it hang out in the fridge all day. Turn it once or twice, if you think
about it, but if not, no harm done. Buttermilk does for chicken what brining
does for pork, tenderizes, and makes it deliciously moist. Try it once, and
you'll never prepare chicken again without making use of this easy first step.
Prior to preparing
this dish, have all of the ingredients measured out and within reach of the
cooktop of the stove. Once begun, the process is rather fast, and you'll have
little time for retrieving, chopping, and measuring. I try to employ this
practice with every recipe that requires cooking on top of the stove. It makes
things fast and easy, and virtually mindless, something I truly appreciate at
day's end.
This dish pairs well
with rice pilaf, or nestles happily in a mound of freshly mashed potatoes, but
I found perfection in the simplicity of the chicken and sauce served with a
side of bright green, braised baby bok choy. Come back tomorrow for the recipe
for that simple side, and a clever way to serve it for Valentine's Day.
Chicken Vesuvio
(with Mushrooms and
Peas)
2 Tbsp. olive oil,
divided
2 boneless, skinless
chicken breasts, trimmed, and seasoned
with salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup quartered
cremini mushrooms, about 2.5 oz
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. minced
garlic
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup frozen green
peas
2 tsp. fresh Meyer lemon
juice
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in
medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place chicken breasts
into pan and sauté 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a warmed plate and
cover lightly with foil to keep warm.
Heat remaining 1
Tbsp. oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to brown
evenly, then stir in flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, about 1
minute more.
Deglaze skillet with
sherry and reduce until nearly evaporated. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in peas and
simmer 2 minutes more; add lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Return
chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, covering with sauce until heated
through.
Serves 2
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3 comments:
Hi Pattie, I've been looking for a good homemade sauce for chicken and this looks really delicious. I've started using buttermilk a lot more lately for brining as well. I find that if you add a little salt, the chicken seems to retain the buttermilk a lot more. Love your detail in your posts. Look forward to seeing more recipes. here. Thanks
--Jennifer/onesimplecook.com
I love this chicken recipe. I first had it in Chicago and couldn't wait to try it at home. Your photo is making me hungry for it. This is a great dish.
Hi Patti,
This is a fabulous Chicken recipe that I wish was going on my table for dinner, it looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Miz Helen
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