Food For Thought: Italian Chicken
Our friend, Andy, came to dinner and I wanted to make something nice, something I don't make all the time, so I got out my book of recipes that I love and found my mama's Italian Chicken and modified it for our healthier needs. You see, originally, this recipe calls for you to brown onions in butter and olive oil and then remove them and fry up breaded chicken breasts in it. Um. No. So I made a few changes and this is what we got:
Chicken Preparation:
Take a handful or two of rolled oats, a handful of pecans and a handful of walnuts and ground them up in your food processor (or whatever machine you use -- we use the Magic Bullet). You want about a cup for two chicken breasts -- since I never cook just two of anything, I had about two cups ... there will always be a need for more food in two hours, since I eat small portions and need to keep my metabolism up. Spread this oat/nut mixture out in a pie plate. Fill another pie plate with eggwhites. Dip your chicken breast into the eggwhite and then the nut mixture, covering them thoroughly; cook. I grill mine in my NuWave oven but you can bake, broil, grill (George Foreman or outdoor or any other) them til they are cooked. Please don't fry them. Fat, Fat, the water rat. When they are cooked, set them aside and let them cool so that the breading will seal the breasts.
Using a non stick skillet, sautee some diced onions and some diced garlic in a light drizzle of olive oil, til lightly browned. Add, bit by bit, a 16 oz can of tomato sauce -- do this slowly so you can taste it as you work, making sure it isn't too tomato-y. I add my tomato sauce intermittently with one cup of bouillon - use the bouillon that you like but be aware that a lot of them are packed with sodium; I try to find a liquid bouillon that is more on the healthy side - and 1/2 cup dry white wine. (Natch, if you are making more than 2 chicken breasts, you use more of each of these liquids -- as a cook, you should experiment and taste and get to know the recipe and see what works for you. Make this sauce to taste... some people like salty, some like tomato-y, some like more wine. I tend to follow the recipe and keep it all moderate. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons of parsley. If the sauce gets too anything, cut it with a little water. If it gets too runny, thicken it with corn starch (use a sifter!). When you have the sauce at the taste and consistency you like, put the chicken breasts in and (if you like) some sliced fresh mushrooms (I don't like). Let the chicken sit in the sauce, simmering on low flame for about 20 minutes or so, so as to really tender it up.
Serve over rice.
NOW.
We use brown rice. This is how Pat makes it and everyone loves it. PLEASE avoid white rice.
1 Cup Brown rice
1 Cube Vegetable bullion
2 Cups Water
The rice and water is a 2 to 1 ratio so if you have 1 cup rice it takes 2 cups water…etc… The bullion is 1 cube to 2 cups water and so forth
These are mountain measurements… as much or as little as you like
2 Tsp (approx) Salt
2 Pinches Cayenne
2 Tsp (approx) Black pepper
2 Tsp (approx) Paprika
2 Tblsp Olive Oil
½ Tsp Garlic Powder
½ Tsp Onion Powder
Depending on your rice amount use and appropriate (deep) pot. Add the water and all ingredients except the rice. Bring to a solid boil so that all dry ingredients are dissolved in the water. Sniffing the steam should make you want to sneeze, if not, add in small portions, more black pepper & paprika until it tickles the nose.
Pour the rice into the boiling water and give it a stir. Let the water return to a solid boil, then cover the pot and turn the flame down to a low simmer and let sit for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes kill the heat and let stand for another 10 minutes before serving. Fluff with a fork.
I like to throw in some almond slices (not slivers) for added texture.
This is such a delicous meal and really quite healthy. We served it with some grilled asparagus (drizzle some olive oil over them, coat them, toss on any spices you like and grill til they are cooked but not mush.
Drink with the wine of your choice (I abstain but if you are a wine drinker, it's the deal).
Cheers!
Chicken Preparation:
Take a handful or two of rolled oats, a handful of pecans and a handful of walnuts and ground them up in your food processor (or whatever machine you use -- we use the Magic Bullet). You want about a cup for two chicken breasts -- since I never cook just two of anything, I had about two cups ... there will always be a need for more food in two hours, since I eat small portions and need to keep my metabolism up. Spread this oat/nut mixture out in a pie plate. Fill another pie plate with eggwhites. Dip your chicken breast into the eggwhite and then the nut mixture, covering them thoroughly; cook. I grill mine in my NuWave oven but you can bake, broil, grill (George Foreman or outdoor or any other) them til they are cooked. Please don't fry them. Fat, Fat, the water rat. When they are cooked, set them aside and let them cool so that the breading will seal the breasts.
Using a non stick skillet, sautee some diced onions and some diced garlic in a light drizzle of olive oil, til lightly browned. Add, bit by bit, a 16 oz can of tomato sauce -- do this slowly so you can taste it as you work, making sure it isn't too tomato-y. I add my tomato sauce intermittently with one cup of bouillon - use the bouillon that you like but be aware that a lot of them are packed with sodium; I try to find a liquid bouillon that is more on the healthy side - and 1/2 cup dry white wine. (Natch, if you are making more than 2 chicken breasts, you use more of each of these liquids -- as a cook, you should experiment and taste and get to know the recipe and see what works for you. Make this sauce to taste... some people like salty, some like tomato-y, some like more wine. I tend to follow the recipe and keep it all moderate. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons of parsley. If the sauce gets too anything, cut it with a little water. If it gets too runny, thicken it with corn starch (use a sifter!). When you have the sauce at the taste and consistency you like, put the chicken breasts in and (if you like) some sliced fresh mushrooms (I don't like). Let the chicken sit in the sauce, simmering on low flame for about 20 minutes or so, so as to really tender it up.
Serve over rice.
NOW.
We use brown rice. This is how Pat makes it and everyone loves it. PLEASE avoid white rice.
1 Cup Brown rice
1 Cube Vegetable bullion
2 Cups Water
The rice and water is a 2 to 1 ratio so if you have 1 cup rice it takes 2 cups water…etc… The bullion is 1 cube to 2 cups water and so forth
These are mountain measurements… as much or as little as you like
2 Tsp (approx) Salt
2 Pinches Cayenne
2 Tsp (approx) Black pepper
2 Tsp (approx) Paprika
2 Tblsp Olive Oil
½ Tsp Garlic Powder
½ Tsp Onion Powder
Depending on your rice amount use and appropriate (deep) pot. Add the water and all ingredients except the rice. Bring to a solid boil so that all dry ingredients are dissolved in the water. Sniffing the steam should make you want to sneeze, if not, add in small portions, more black pepper & paprika until it tickles the nose.
Pour the rice into the boiling water and give it a stir. Let the water return to a solid boil, then cover the pot and turn the flame down to a low simmer and let sit for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes kill the heat and let stand for another 10 minutes before serving. Fluff with a fork.
I like to throw in some almond slices (not slivers) for added texture.
This is such a delicous meal and really quite healthy. We served it with some grilled asparagus (drizzle some olive oil over them, coat them, toss on any spices you like and grill til they are cooked but not mush.
Drink with the wine of your choice (I abstain but if you are a wine drinker, it's the deal).
Cheers!
posted by StephenMosher at 6:46 PM
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