I was at the grocery store, when I saw a bag of fresh peas. Now, I love peas, but usually you can only find them frozen (which are a tasty cold treat if you are ever scouring around for something to snack on and you find your junk food cupboard bare – it is amazing the food we will snack on when hungry!). So, when I found this bag of farm fresh peas, I knew I had to find a recipe that would do them justice.
Of course, when I am looking to try something new, my first inclination is to go to my stack of America’s Test Kitchen magazines to see what inspiration they can provide. Knock on wood, but I have tried numerous recipes from ATK, all of which have been delicious and fool-proof. While I was going through a magazine from spring 2011, I saw a recipe and photo that peaked my interest, Skillet Chicken Vesuvio. Chicken, potatoes and green peas. This was going to be the ultimate Saturday night dinner combination.
Since it was the weekend, there may have been a bottle of wine planned for the evening. This recipe called for a splash of white wine which is the perfect excuse to open up that weekend bottle a bit earlier than planned 😉
As the chicken was browning on the stove top, I looked on Wikipedia to see what they had to say about Chicken Vesuvio (I was curious, as I have never heard of this dish before). Apparently it is a Chicago specialty, with Italian-American influences. It is good to learn something new.
*Note – when I keep trying to pronounce this dish, I want to say Vessudio (you know, like the Phil Collins song)
Once the chicken had been seared and the potatoes were cooking, I could see how this dish was going to be delicious. Hearty potatoes, chicken breasts, peas all with a delicious chicken and white wine sauce – Awesome! While the sauce was reducing, I did try a few spoonfuls, and it was amazing. When you look at the list of ingredients, it might not appear to be anything exciting, but once you put all those flavours together, you get a succulent chicken dish, that is quick, easy and fancy enough to serve to company.
Paired with a glass of your favourite white wine and a tasty baguette (to soak up all the juices off your plate) this is a delicious weekend meal. The sauce was so good, that I think I might try to make this again using pork tenderloin medallions, yummy! 🙂
Adapted from:
America’s Test Kitchen
Spring 2011 Light & Healthy
Ingredients:
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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Salt & Pepper
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4 tsp canola oil
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15 mini red potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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2 tsp Italian seasoning
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1 tbsp all-purpose flour
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1 ½ cups chicken broth
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½ cup white wine
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2 cups fresh peas
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1 tbsp butter
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2 tsp lemon juice
Directions:
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Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a metal skillet over medium-heat until hot. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until golden brown on the first side, about five minutes. Flip the breasts over and continue to cook until lightly browned on the second side, about three minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
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Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. When hot, arrange the potatoes evenly in the pan, cut side down, and cook until golden brown, about seven minutes. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Add the broth and wine to the pot, scrape up any browned bits and bring to a simmer.
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Place the chicken breasts in the skillet with the potatoes. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a platter and tent loosely with foil.
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Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is reduced to one cup, about five minutes. Stir in the fresh peas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice and add in salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and potatoes and serve.
Ruby Reduction 