Update on almond crusted chicken
So, dh made the almond crusted chicken last weekend and I thought it was delicious. now, it turns out the recipe was from a Cook's Illustrated book called "Quick Recipes" which meant more like 45 minutes to an hour vs 3-4 hours. So, that's not really on tap for us. We need 30 minutes max for recipes. Here is the recipe. We plan to try this again but we'd like to bake the chicken and try brushing the egg stuff on first, then sprinkling the almond/panko crust on top of that. That would make it much quicker. And we always use thighs; we like them better, what can I say?:)
So, from Cook's Illustrated to your kitchen
Almond Crusted chicken
it should take 10 seconds to process almonds. Don't overprocess or
they become oily.
If you want a startch use quinoa pilaf without the nuts.
2 large eggs
1 tsp dijon mustard
1.25 tsp grated zest and 4 wedges from 1 orange
salt and pepper
1 cup sliced almonds processed into fine crumbs
1/2 cup panko ( bread crumbs)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , 5-6 oz, trimmed and dried on towels
8 T veg oil
5 oz baby spinach
2 med oranges, peel and pith removed, then quartered through the ends
and sliced across segments into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 small shallot, minced
Lightly beat eggs, mustard, 1 tsp orange zest. 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4
tsp pepper in shallow disk. Mix almonds and panko in separate
shalllow disk. Working with one piece of chicken at at ime, use tongs
to dip it in egg mixture; turn to coat well, and allow excess to drip
off. Drop chicken into nut mixture and press nuts into it with
fingers. Transfer the breaded chicken to a wire rack and set over
baking sheets and repeat with remaining chicken. Adjust oven rack to
middle and heat oven to 200 deg.
Heat 6 T oil in heavy 12 inch nonstick skillet over med high heat
until just smoking. Lay chicken gently in skillet and cook until
golden brown and crisp on first side, about 2.5 min. Using tongs,
flip chicken, reduce heat to med and continue to cook until meat feels
firm when pressed gently, the second side is deep golden brown and
crisk, and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 2
minutes more. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and place in oven.
Discard oil in skillet and using tongs and paper towels, wipe skillet
clean.
Place spinach in large bowl. Heat 1 T oil in cleaned skillet over
high heat until just smoking. Add orange slices and cook until
lightly browned around the edges, 1.5-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat
and add remaining 1 T oil, shallt, remaining 1/4 tsp zest, 1/4 tsp
salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and allow residual heat to soften shallot, 30
seconds. Pour the warm dressing with oranges over spinach and toss
gently to wilt. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve
immediately with salad and orange wedges.
ETA: links to two articles I found interesting, one on food, the other on praise and both reflecting some of our non-mainstream views:)
Article by Michael Pollan called "Unhappy Meals". I don't think I can actually link to the full text any more:( It was long, but worth reading.
The Power (and Peril) of Praise: http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/index.html
So, from Cook's Illustrated to your kitchen
Almond Crusted chicken
it should take 10 seconds to process almonds. Don't overprocess or
they become oily.
If you want a startch use quinoa pilaf without the nuts.
2 large eggs
1 tsp dijon mustard
1.25 tsp grated zest and 4 wedges from 1 orange
salt and pepper
1 cup sliced almonds processed into fine crumbs
1/2 cup panko ( bread crumbs)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , 5-6 oz, trimmed and dried on towels
8 T veg oil
5 oz baby spinach
2 med oranges, peel and pith removed, then quartered through the ends
and sliced across segments into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 small shallot, minced
Lightly beat eggs, mustard, 1 tsp orange zest. 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4
tsp pepper in shallow disk. Mix almonds and panko in separate
shalllow disk. Working with one piece of chicken at at ime, use tongs
to dip it in egg mixture; turn to coat well, and allow excess to drip
off. Drop chicken into nut mixture and press nuts into it with
fingers. Transfer the breaded chicken to a wire rack and set over
baking sheets and repeat with remaining chicken. Adjust oven rack to
middle and heat oven to 200 deg.
Heat 6 T oil in heavy 12 inch nonstick skillet over med high heat
until just smoking. Lay chicken gently in skillet and cook until
golden brown and crisp on first side, about 2.5 min. Using tongs,
flip chicken, reduce heat to med and continue to cook until meat feels
firm when pressed gently, the second side is deep golden brown and
crisk, and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 2
minutes more. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and place in oven.
Discard oil in skillet and using tongs and paper towels, wipe skillet
clean.
Place spinach in large bowl. Heat 1 T oil in cleaned skillet over
high heat until just smoking. Add orange slices and cook until
lightly browned around the edges, 1.5-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat
and add remaining 1 T oil, shallt, remaining 1/4 tsp zest, 1/4 tsp
salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and allow residual heat to soften shallot, 30
seconds. Pour the warm dressing with oranges over spinach and toss
gently to wilt. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve
immediately with salad and orange wedges.
ETA: links to two articles I found interesting, one on food, the other on praise and both reflecting some of our non-mainstream views:)
Article by Michael Pollan called "Unhappy Meals". I don't think I can actually link to the full text any more:( It was long, but worth reading.
The Power (and Peril) of Praise: http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/index.html