Showing posts with label Chicken breasts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicken breasts. Show all posts
Today I am sharing a delicious recipe for Valdostana Chicken, which is a chicken dish which originates from the Val d'Aosta region of Italy. I was drawn to this dish largely due to its simplicity. I find that more and more these days I am opting for things which are simple to cook, and which use simple ingredients.
It is not that I cannot do complicated. I did plenty of complicated cookery when I worked as a Personal Chef. Now that I am in my older years and retired, not to mention, living on my own, I choose to cook simple and uncomplicated as much as possible. In my opinion, life is too short to get bogged down when it doesn't need to be.
This is a simple and delicious dish, which uses only a few ingredients. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Italian ham, cheese, a bit of chicken stock and some white wine.
Thin slices of simply seasoned chicken breast (chicken cutlets) are dusted with flour and browned in a mixture of butter and olive oil, quickly and simply. The pan is deglazed with bit of white wine and chicken stock, which create a simple sauce. Finally, they are topped with a thin slice of ham and melty cheese.
It may look and sound fancy, but I can promise you, that it is not a fancy dish at all. It is simple and humble and delicious.
A bit of rice, pasta or potatoes on the side and some veggies or a salad are all you need to complete this simple and incredibly tasty meal. I guarantee once you make this, you will want to add it to your repertoire of favorites!
Quick, easy, using simple ingredients and deliciously done in 15 minutes. What more could a person want?
WHAT YOU NEED
TO MAKE VALDOSTANA CHICKEN
A few simple ingredients. Not a lot really. I find that these days I prefer recipes which don't require a lot of fancy ingredients. Simple does it for me every time!
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into three cutlets through the middle
- flour to dust as needed
- 3 slices of ham
- 3 slices of Fontina cheese
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 TBS butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- chopped parsley to garnish
My chicken breast was quite large. It cut into three pieces quite easily. I think it probably weighed a good 8 ounces.
I used ordinary deli-ham as they did not have any Italian ham. If you can get it, use prosciutto.
On this occasion I opted to use extra-virgin olive oil. I used salted butter as that is all I keep in my kitchen.
The original recipe called for the cheese to be grated. I can only get the sliced Fontina here and so used that. You could also use a gruyere cheese, Swiss, or even an edam. It should be a cheese that has a nice flavor and that melts easily.
My wine was a pinot grigio. Canadian. Ducks Crossing.
I used Better Than Bullion chicken stock concentrate to make the chicken stock.
HOW TO MAKE
VALDOSTANA CHICKEN
Not only is this very simple to make, but it is also very quick. Make sure you have everything you need measured and ready to go before you begin!
- If your chicken cutlets are on the thick side, place them into a baggie and pound them until they are a thin, even size. (My breast was very large, so I cut it into three pieces. If it is smaller, you may only be able to cut it into two pieces.)
- Season them lightly on all sides with some salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off any excess. (Be judicious with the salt as ham is salty.)
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pieces of chicken. (Once the butter begins to foam it will be ready to add the meat.)
- Brown first on one side (about 2-minutes), flip over and brown the other side. (A further 2 minutes.)
- Add the wine to the skillet. Cook for two to three minutes until it has almost all evaporated. Add the chicken stock. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the skillet from time to time to mix things up and loosen any brown bits from the base of the pan. (This is called the fond.)
- Place one ham slice on each cutlet and top with a slice of cheese. (I had to fold the ham and the cheese in half.)
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbled up a bit.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
- Drizzle each serving with some of the pan sauce. Delicious!
HOW TO CUT
A
CHICKEN BREAST INTO CUTLETS
Cutting your chicken breasts into thinner cutlets not only makes your chicken go further, but it also ensures a much quicker cook time. All you need is a steady hand, a good cutting board and a sharp knife.
2. Once you have the chicken sliced into fillets, you can place them, one at a time, between two pieces of plastic cling film or wax paper and gently pound them with the flat side of a meat pounder until the pieces are even in thickness.
HINTS & TIPS
FOR CHICKEN BREAST PERFECTION
When cooked improperly chicken breast meat can be dry and tough. If you follow my hints and tips, you should be able to produce a piece of chicken that is juicy and tender! I guarantee!
1. If you are cooking your chicken plain, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off. The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories.
2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.
3. Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderizes them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.
4. Keeping them all as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces. They will also cook faster this way.
5. Overcooking. This is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind, that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan. Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection.
OTHER CHICKEN BREAST
RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY!
CHICKEN MARGHERITA - A simple, single serving dish made with a baked chicken breast, pesto, cherry tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese. It is finished with a lemon garlic sauce for fresh, bold flavor. This recipe can easily be multiplied to feed more people.
CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON - This really could not be any easier to make. One thing I really love about this recipe are the flavors. Earthy herby fresh sage. Tart acidic lemon. Creamy, nutty garlic. Rich butter. All wonderful flavors and when combined with the mild flavor of chicken, it's a fabulous taste combo that can't be beat!
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Yield: 2 servings
Valdostana Chicken
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
This traditional Italian chicken dish is composed of juicy and tender chicken breast cutlets, topped with Italian ham and cheese, with a simple yet delicious pan sauce. This goes together very quickly and easily. It's a good way to stretch a chicken breast.
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into three cutlets through the middle
- flour to dust as needed
- 3 slices of ham
- 3 slices of Fontina cheese
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 TBS butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- If your chicken cutlets are on the thick side, place them into a baggie and pound them until they are a thin, even size.
- Season them lightly on all sides with some salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pieces of chicken.
- Brown first on one side (about 2-minutes), flip over and brown the other side. (A further 2 minutes.)
- Add the wine to the skillet. Cook for two to three minutes until it has almost all evaporated. Add the chicken stock. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the skillet from time to time to mix things up and loosen any brown bits from the base of the pan. (The fond.)
- Place one ham slice on each cutlet and top with a slice of cheese.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbled up a bit.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
- Drizzle each serving with some of the pan sauce. Delicious!
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This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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When it comes to eating protein, I probably eat chicken more than anything else. It is appreciably cheaper than beef or lamb, and it is a protein with a lovely mild flavor that lends itself beautifully to all kinds of preparations. The thighs do have a slightly stronger, almost gamy flavor when compared to the breasts, but all told, this is a really versatile type of protein.
There is no end to the ways you can prepare chicken. Simple as well as complicated. I prefer simple myself, but I am here to tell you that simple doesn't mean BORING! I know that sometimes chicken breasts can come out dry and lacking in flavor. I have shared my hints and tips down below that can really help prevent that if followed.
This Swiss & Mushroom Chicken recipe which I am sharing with you today is anything BUT boring! I promise you!
Chicken breasts, seasoned and dusted with flour, prior to sautéing to golden brown on both sides in a mix of oil and butter. You pop them into a baking dish and into the oven to rest for a short while you make a simple sauce.
A deliciously homemade mushroom and tarragon sauce, flavored with garlic and a tiny bit of Brandy. This gets poured over the cooked chicken and a slice of cheese gets put on top. Returned to the oven until the cheese melts, and presto! Dinner is ready.
Simple enough to serve to family, elegant enough to serve to guests. I can promise you nobody will be turning up their noses at this or saying, "Chicken again? Aww." This is destined to become a family favorite. I promise you.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
SWISS & MUSHROOM CHICKEN
There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. I like to keep things pretty simple most of the time.
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. about medium sized, not too large
- salt, pepper and plain flour to dust
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1/2-pound (200g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 TBS chopped fresh Tarragon
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whipping cream
- 1 TBS brandy
- 4 large slices Gruyere or Swiss Cheese
My chicken breasts were smaller than my hand. Probably only about 3 ounces in weight each. (85g) They were not overly thick either but did need a bit of pounding on the thick end to make them even. Don't skip this step.
I like to use light olive oil rather than extra virgin olive oil. I think it is a shame to waste EVO in a recipe where you really won't be able to taste it. For most cooking purposes I use the light olive oil. It works wonderfully and still has the same qualities as an EVO without the strong flavor.
I just use salted butter
I used cremini mushrooms as that is what I thought looked the best at the shops this week. You can use button mushrooms, any mushroom really that won't turn the sauce too dark.
If you cannot find fresh tarragon, then by all means use dried. You will need roughly half the amount or 1/2 TBS as the flavor is condensed and more intense in the dry product.
If you don't have Brandy, then you can use some chicken stock in its place. Not quite the same flavor, but still the same viscosity. If you have Sherry, you can use that. You could even use apple or white grape juice in its place. I keep a bottle of good brandy in the house for my Christmas cakes and puddings, but I can appreciate that not everyone does.
You want to use a good melting cheese with flavor. Swiss or Gruyere are the best option. They have a sweet almost nutty flavor that works well with everything else.
HOW TO COOK
SWISS & MUSHROOM CHICKEN
This is really a very quick and easy chicken dish to cook. I really prefer simplicity when it comes to cooking these days!
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready a baking tray or dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer.
- Place your chicken between two pieces of cling film and pound lightly until they are each about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and black pepper and dust lightly with flour.
- Heat half of the olive oil and butter in a large skillet until the butter begins to foam.
- Add the chicken breasts presentation sides down and brown on one side for approximately 3 minutes until golden. Flip over and brown on the other side for a further 3 minutes.
- Place onto the baking tray/dish and pop into the oven while you make the sauce.
- To make the sauce, add the remaining butter and oil to the pan drippings. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have softened.
- Add the tarragon, cream and brandy.
- Stir over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the hot sauce over top, dividing it equally amongst the pieces of chicken.
- Top each with a slice of cheese and pop back into the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
HINTS & TIPS
FOR CHICKEN BREAST PERFECTION
Here are some handy tips that you can apply every time you are cooking chicken breasts that will go a long way towards preventing you from having dry and flavorless chicken even when you are cooking them in the simplest ways!
1. If you are cooking your chicken plain, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off. The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories.
2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.
3. Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderizes them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.
4. Keeping them all as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces. They will also cook faster this way.
5. Overcooking. This is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind, that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan. Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection.
A FEW OTHER
CHICKEN BREAST RECIPES FOR
YOU TO ENJOY
I probably eat chicken more than any other protein. It is not the cheapest anymore, but it IS healthier than red meat and much cheaper, so along with fish and eggs, has become my protein of choice.
OVEN BAKED CHICKEN BREAST - Sized for two, this recipe provides juicy and tender pieces of chicken breast, seasoned simply and then roasted to perfection so that the meat stays moist and doesn't dry out. A problem often when it comes to chicken breasts. This is a simple treatment but tastes fabulous. Quick, easy and delicious works for me every time!
FAJITA CHICKEN BREAST CASSEROLE - Packed with flavor and quick to throw together, this casserole is as nutritious as it is delicious. Chicken breasts treated with fajita spices and smothered in sauteed peppers and onions, and gooey cheese, prior to baking, with really tasty results! Wholesome and delicious!
Pin this recipe to your chicken or Dinner Boards, and remember to FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM! Thank you!
That way you can be assured that you are always up to date with fresh content as soon as I post it. You can also sign up to receive a weekly newsletter from Grow.
Yield: 4 servings
Swiss & Mushroom Chicken
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Filled with lovely flavors. This is a very simple dish. Tender moist chicken topped with a creamy mushroom sauce and a layer of gruyere cheese melted on top. This is just plain delicious!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. about medium sized, not too large
- salt, pepper and plain flour to dust
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1/2-pound (200g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 TBS chopped fresh Tarragon
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whipping cream
- 1 TBS brandy
- 4 large slices Gruyere or Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready a baking tray or dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer.
- Place your chicken between two pieces of cling film and pound lightly until they are each about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and black pepper and dust lightly with flour.
- Heat half of the olive oil and butter in a large skillet until the butter begins to foam.
- Add the chicken breasts presentation sides down and brown on one side for approximately 3 minutes until golden. Flip over and brown on the other side for a further 3 minutes.
- Place onto the baking tray/dish and pop into the oven while you make the sauce.
- To make the sauce, add the remaining butter and oil to the pan drippings. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have softened.
- Add the tarragon, cream and brandy.
- Stir over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the hot sauce over top, dividing it equally amongst the pieces of chicken.
- Top each with a slice of cheese and pop back into the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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