Pan-Roasted Macadamia Nut Crusted Breast of Chicken
Serves 4
Many of us have enjoyed recipes like this in our favorite restaurants but don't have the confidence to prepare it at home. This recipe shows how easy it is to make in your own kitchen and describes some of the techniques chefs use to create a delicious crust.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper, to taste
8 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1-tablespoon butter
2 mint leaves, sliced thin
16 spinach leaves, stems removed
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices thinly sliced prosciutto ham
½ cup flour blended with 1 cup of water for pancake consistency
2 cups bread crumbs
½ cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup olive oil
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Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce:
¼ cup sherry
¾ cup sliced mushrooms (wild mushrooms provide additional flavor)
1-tablespoon soy sauce
1-cup heavy cream
½ cup demi glace
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mushroom Sherry Cream Procedure
Add the sherry, soy sauce and mushrooms to a medium sized saucepan and cook until the mushrooms are soft and the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream and reduce the sauce by 1/3.
Add the demi-glace, season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 4 minutes. Whisk in the tablespoon of butter, taste and adjust seasoning.
Preparing the Chicken
Start by flattening the chicken. Using a meat pounder, gently flatten the chicken to ¼ inch. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the chopped macadamia nuts.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and sauté the mushrooms until soft. And the mint leaves and remove from heat.
Layer each chicken breast with spinach, Swiss cheese, prosciutto and sautéed mushrooms. Fold the chicken in half and seal the edges by pressing with your fingers.
Dip each chicken breast into the flour batter and be sure to let the excess batter drip off. Cover both sides with breadcrumbs and reserve.
Reheat the sauté pan over low heat, add the butter and oil and wait until it gets hot. Sauté the chicken breasts until golden brown on each side and fully cooked.
To serve, place each chicken breast into the center of the plate, spoon some sauce over the breasts or on the side and add your side vegetables.
