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Braised Chicken Breast with Dried Apricots, Cherries and Cranberries
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Served Over Millet-Quinoa Stuffing
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Ingredients:
12 Dried Apricots
6 Tbsp. Dried Cherries
6 Tbsp. Dried Cranberries
2 Cups Chicken Stock, divided
1/4 Cup White Wine, optional
2 Pounds Chicken Breast, boneless-skinless
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Coarse Ground Black Pepper
2 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
2 Tbsp. Chopped Shallots
2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
4 Tbsp. Basil, fresh
3 Cups Millet-Quinoa Stuffing
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Dice apricots into smaller pieces.
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Bring 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock to a boil.
Use a small skillet or sauce pan.
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Add dried fruit to the boiling chicken stock.
Mix the fruit a few times and bring back to boil.
Boil fruit for a few seconds and remove from heat.
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Leave fruit to plump and cool while preparing the rest of the recipe.
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Peel and chop garlic and shallots.
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These chicken breast are rather large.
Each one is half of a breast and weighs about 12 ounces.
Trim fat and skin off of the breasts.
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Slice each breast in half.
Cut chicken on the bias in an effort to make each piece about the same size and thickness.
Use your knife to gently pound down the thicker side.
Sprinkle half the salt and pepper over chicken.
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Place a large pan over high heat on the stove.
Add oil to the pan.
When oil is very hot, but not smoking, add the chicken; salt and pepper side down.
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Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over chicken.
Leave chicken to cook and sizzle in the pan for a few minutes.
Chicken should begin to turn golden brown.
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Turn chicken over; add garlic and shallot to the pan.
Mix garlic and shallot into the oil.
Leave chicken to cook and sizzle for a couple of minutes.
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Add 1/4 cup of white wine and 1/4 cup of chicken stock to the pan.
You can also just add 1/2 cup of stock if you don't have or use wine.
Cover the pan and cook the chicken for six minutes.
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As the chicken finishes cooking make the sauce.
Remove a few tablespoons of plumped fruit and save as garnish.
Slice the basil thin and reserve.
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Place remaining fruit and stock into a blender.
Add mustard; puree the ingredients together.
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Remove lid and check to make sure that the chicken is cooked through.
You can make a small slice into one of the thicker pieces and look inside.
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Remove chicken from the pan and place onto a serving platter.
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Pour puree from blender into the pan.
Add the fruit and basil garnish.
Mix ingredients together and bring to a boil.
Boil for a quick two seconds and remove from heat.
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Spoon fruit sauce over the chicken and serve.
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