Crisp Italian Chicken Polenta Recipes

CHICKEN-AND-POLENTA PUTTANESCA MELTS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with rack 6 inches from heating element. Season polenta and chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high; swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add polenta and cook, flipping once, until golden and crisp on edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add chicken to skillet; cook until browned on edges and cooked through, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil, olives, capers, and garlic to skillet; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Stir marinara into skillet; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; nestle in chicken and polenta, shingling them and spooning some sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese; broil until bubbly, 4 to 5 minutes. Top with parsley; serve.

ROAST CHICKEN BREAST WITH POLENTA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place about 5 slices of the polenta in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the chicken breasts on top of the polenta slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each with the Italian seasoning and Parmesan. Arrange the garlic cloves and tomatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil.
• Bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan and olive oil to taste. Serve warm.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water. Clean the champignons and cut them into slices. Wash the chicken and divide it into 8 pieces. Thoroughly wash the giblets and mince them. Fry the chicken for 6-7 minutes in a saucepan with the butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken from the pan and use the pan to fry the sliced onion, the garlic clove, peel still on and crushed, and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Put the chicken back in the pan, add a splash of white wine and let it evaporate for 3-4 minutes, then add the giblets, the minced salami,
• the soaked mushrooms and a ladle of broth and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Finally, add the champignons, cook for another 5 minutes, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons minced parsley.
• For the polenta: boil 6 cups water with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, mixing with a whisk. Cook the polenta for 40-45 minutes, whisking often. Pour the cooked polenta into a serving platter. Set the pieces of chicken on the polenta, top them with the sauce and serve immediately.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, four at a time to avoid over-crowding - and fry until both sides are browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining chicken and transfer to a plate.
• Add the onion and bell pepper and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute another 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add the dried herbs and red pepper flakes.
• Add the red wine and bring it to a boil over heat heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and ground porcini mushrooms. Stir to combine and return to a boil. Return the chicken to the Dutch oven and cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, showing no signs of pink when cut into near the bone.
• Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Return the sauce to a boil over high heat and cook until it has thickened a little, 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Dish out the polenta onto four plates, arrange two pieces of chicken on top of each serving of polenta, and spoon the sauce and vegetables over the chicken and polenta. Serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
• Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl. Top polenta with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and about 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.

EASY ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the remaining ingredients. , Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring, occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.

CRISPY POLENTA MEDALLIONS

Steps:

• Cover a baking sheet with plastic or lightly oil a baking dish. Make polenta and when done, pour onto plastic or into lightly oiled baking dish. Spread to a thickness of about 1/3 inch using an offset spatula. If you are using a baking dish and can't spread the polenta that thin, you can always slice the rounds after they are cut to make thinner medallions. Cover with plastic and allow to stiffen completely, preferably in the refrigerator overnight.
• Cut the stiff polenta into 1 1/2 to 2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter. If the rounds are thick, cut crosswise into 1/3 inch thick rounds.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy nonstick or cast iron skillet. The polenta should sizzle as soon as you place the medallion in the oil. Cook the rounds in batches until nicely browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Turn them carefully with a spatula, and do not crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a platter while warm and place a pinch - about 1/4 teaspoon - of blue cheese on each round. It should soften and melt a little bit on the hot surface of the polenta. Or top with small dollops of the other toppings of your choice. Serve warm (they are also good when they cool down).