Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Il Pollo Monte Cristo

I like making dishes that seem fancy but take minimal effort and require pretty simple ingredients. This recipe from Shape Magazine definitely fits the bill - and it's healthy! It's taken from Il Sole in Los Angeles, a popular restaurant frequented by Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, and Britney Spears.

I made a few modifications to account for my personal preferences. I used organic chicken and organic pasture butter, and I substituted chicken broth for the veal broth. I also used brown rice flour instead of all-purpose flour because I made this for my parents and my dad avoids gluten.

If you want to impress guests - or just your hubby - give it a try!

Ingredients

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup veal stock (or chicken/turkey broth)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp all-purpose flour (I used brown rice flour)
1 ¹/₂ tsp herbs de Provence
¹/₂ tsp kosher or sea salt
¹/₄ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (organic!)
Cooking spray (I used a few teaspoons of olive oil)
¹/₄ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
12 whole garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

Assemble ingredients:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk together chicken broth, veal stock, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.

Dredge each chicken breast in flour mixture, making sure to coat both sides.

Coat a large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts to skillet and brown for 3 minutes on each side.

Add wine and garlic; cook chicken for 3 minutes more.

Pour stock mixture over chicken and place skillet in preheated oven.

Roast chicken for 12 minutes or until just cooked through. Beware - the skillet handle will be HOT! Don't make my mistake and grab it after your place it back on the stove.

Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a large plate.

Jess says "yum!"

Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Beware of wild animals that might want to sneak a bite...or Marla and Dexter...

Place skillet over medium heat and bring sauce to a simmer. Cook until it has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Whisk in butter and season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, lay out four plates and thinly slice each chicken breast. Arrange an even portion on each plate and top with sauce. Serve with seasonal vegetables, such as steamed asparagus or broccoli.

I served the dish with a big salad, gnocchi with pesto and cannellini bean sauce, and roasted vegetables.