Grilled Chicken with vegetables, mustard, cream and wine (optional)
The year 2020 is a NUMERIC PALINDROME, which means that the number remains the same even when its digits are reversed. It has been an unusual year for us all. Life as we knew it changed for very many of us.
HOPE, is what keeps us going and here's hoping and praying that the upcoming months in the New Year 2021, bring along with it, new rays of sunshine and uplift us all to satisfactorily memorable days!
A post on my blog has been long pending....so I have stood up and dusted myself with the motivation of sharing a simple new recipe with you all today.
Serves : 4
Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 40 minutes
Accompaniment : Butter Herbed Rice / Garlic Loaf / Bread Loaf
Ingredients
Chicken Thigh with skin - 500gm(4 pieces)
Baby Potatoes - 8 pieces
Broccoli - 8 to 10 florets
Garlic - 8-10 cloves(peeled) & half a teaspoon minced or grated
Fresh Cream - 100ml
Red Wine (optional) - 50 ml
Salt - To taste
Turmeric Powder - half a teaspoon
Black Pepper Powder - half a teaspoon
Mustard Oil - 100ml
Mustard Paste - 100gms powdered or ground to a paste
Kindly note that mustard tends to turn bitter if overworked, so kindly use some vinegar and a green chili with it while grinding to a paste.
Preparation
Wash the Chicken breasts thoroughly and pat dry with a cloth or kitchen towel.
Take a sharp knife and cut some incisions or gashes on the skin side of the chicken breast for the easy entry of spices during marination and uniformity in cooking.
Sprinkle some salt on both sides.(Keep a control on the salt as too much will spoil the taste).
Smear some mustard paste on both sides. Use your finger tips to nudge the mustard paste into the gashes made on the sides of the chicken breasts.
Wash the baby potatoes and keep aside.
Cut the broccoli into florets and wash and keep aside after straining the water.
You may leave the marinated chicken in the refrigerator for an hour if you have extra time on your hands.
Cooking Procedure A
If you have a Grill Pan, you may use it in the first step of the cooking procedure to sear the sides of the chicken breasts. In case you do not gave a grill pan, you may do the same procedure in a cast iron or non stick pan.
Switch on the flame for the grill pan and pour about 2 tablespoon of mustard oil in to it.
Once the oil is smoking hot place the chicken breast into it(skin side up), taking care not to get any hot splashes on to your self. You may shield yourself with a lid while placing the chicken breast onto the pan.
Then cover the grill pan with the lid.
Cooking Procedure B
Keep each side of the chicken breast on the flame for about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn it...it should have a nice golden color.
Fry the remaining pieces of chicken in this manner. If you have a slightly larger grill pan, you may place two pieces of chicken at the same time, thereby saving some much needed time in today's changed scenario.
Cooking Procedure C
While the Chicken pieces are getting their nice touch of color on the grill pan, we take the other non -stick wok and start the flame.
Then add about one tablespoon of mustard oil.
When the oil is hot, add half a teaspoon of grated garlic, until it turns golden in color.
Then add the baby potatoes in the oil and sprinkle some salt on them.
Cover with a lid while you tend to the chicken pieces on the other grill pan. Do turn over the potatoes when you can.
After 10 minutes or so when the potatoes are slightly cooked add the Broccoli florets and sprinkle very little salt over them as well.
Keep constant watch over both the grill pan and the wok.
Add the whole garlic cloves to the wok and toss them around till they turn a nice shade of golden yellow.
Remove the broccoli florets from the wok after 10 minutes and keep aside.
Cooking Procedure D
Once all the four pieces of chicken have been nicely seared on both sides in about 10 minutes if you've been doing them on the double, reduce the flame.
Add the red or white wine into the grill pan so that it loosens up all the slightly seared bits of chicken skin stuck to it.
Let it simmer till it is ready to go in to the wok right after the next few steps.
Cooking Procedure E
Now when all the chicken pieces have been seared on both sides and the vegetables are slightly done, add the remaining mustard paste in the wok.
Add the fresh cream into the wok.
Add the red wine reduction from the grill pan into the wok.
Pour the red wine reduction(optional) into the wok.
Sprinkle a pinch of turmeric powder and mix gently.
Cooking Procedure F
Cover the wok with a lid and check with the fork if the chicken is tender enough for you. My family likes their chicken to be very tender so I keep it on the flame for an extra minute or two.
Once the wine(optional) mustard creamy sauce has reached the right consistency, sprinkle the black pepper powder, stir once and switch off the flame. Please have a taste before you do so , in order to adjust the seasonings.
Assembling and Serving
Take a nice ceramic bowl(not too deep, so as to appreciate the beautiful color on your dish).
Gently place the four pieces of chicken and the baby potatoes and garlic cloves along with the sauce.
Garnish with the pan fried pieces of broccoli.
Enjoy your Pan Grilled Chicken Breasts in a mustard cream base with baby potatoes and broccoli. You may add a glass of wine to it along with a side of toasted garlic bread or a flavorful side of herbed butter rice.
Merry Christmas!
