There is a new kid on the block when it comes to cooking shows! The Kitchen on the Food Network Channel debuted in January and while I had originally thought it was just going to be a replica of ABC‘s The Chew, it has surprised me with some very good recipes! Now, usually, when you think of chicken breasts, the idea of tender and juicy doesn’t always come to mind but this Pan Seared Chicken with Olives by Geoffrey Zakarain recently featured on the show, has a Mediterranean twist and it will be on your kitchen table again and again! What is even better is that it is healthy and easy enough to cook on a week night!
The original recipe (which I really didn’t steer too far from) serves 8, so since it was just Jeff and I for dinner, I only used 2 chicken breasts instead of the 4 listed. This will give you 4 servings (or leftovers to have for lunch the next day) since once you pound out the chicken breasts, ypu cut each one in half and will be left with 4 pieces. I did keep the remaining portions of the ingredients the same because I always like to have extra sauce just in case someone likes a little more. This turned out to be a wise decision because the recipe as listed really only had enough sauce for the 2 chicken breasts that I used.
Directions:
Chicken:
Two 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for searing
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 1 small)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for searing
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 1 small)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pan Sauce:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons finely sliced fresh basil, optional
1 small clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots (about 1/2 small)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons finely sliced fresh basil, optional
1 small clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots (about 1/2 small)
2 teaspoons of capers (this is my little addition and it added a nice, salty pop!)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil and chives, for garnish (I just used chives)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil and chives, for garnish (I just used chives)
Winter Greens Salad:
1 cup wild arugula leaves
1 cup torn frisee leaves (I substituted Endive because the market was out of frisee)
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio (about 1/4 head)
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup wild arugula leaves
1 cup torn frisee leaves (I substituted Endive because the market was out of frisee)
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio (about 1/4 head)
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken: Using a meat mallet, evenly pound the chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness. Put the chicken into a heavy resealable bag or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the oil, parsley, shallots and garlic; sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and mix in the bag or toss in the baking dish until the chicken is coated in the marinade. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the oil to drain. (It’s ok if some of the garlic and shallots still cling to the chicken.) Discard the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large (12- to 14-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken breasts, 2 at a time, being sure to space them out in the skillet. (Avoid over-crowding, or you won’t get a good sear.) Sear until light golden on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Cook the remaining 2 chicken breasts, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Reserve the skillet for the sauce.
For the pan sauce: In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, and capers,if using and the garlic; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
Pour out all but 2 tablespoons oil from the skillet. If the skillet is dry and more oil is needed, add about 2 tablespoons. Over medium heat, add the olives and shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet. Whisk in the chicken broth and any pan juices the chicken released on the platter and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
Stir in the mustard, add the seasoned tomatoes and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken on the platter, garnish with chopped herbs if using and serve immediately with the Winter Greens Salad on the side if desired.
Winter Greens Salad: Put the arugula, frisee and radicchio into a salad bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle the vinegar over the greens and toss until coated; drizzle the oil over the top and toss again. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined. Serve immediately.
Bottom Line: This recipe was excellent and even though it is so easy, it would be a great dish for company because it looks so pretty on the plate. The chicken was juicy and the flavors complimented it perfectly. Even better, I had an amazing lunch the next day because I took the chicken and chopped it up. added some salad greens, the remaining sauce, a little oil and vinegar and I had an amazing salad! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you and Keep Cooking On!!!
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/pan-seared-chicken-with-olives.html?oc=linkback
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