Poultry Essentials Tomato Braised Chicken Breasts Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook undisturbed, adjusting the heat so the chicken doesn't burn, until the pieces are browned on the bottom and release easily from the skillet, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue cooking, turning the chicken every few minutes, until it's brown all over, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onions and capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes; cook until the mixture starts to bubble and the tomatoes thicken slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and let the mixture bubble for another 2 minutes.
• Add the olives and thyme, and return the chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles gently but steadily, then cover the skillet. Cook, turning the chicken every 10 minutes or so and adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce looks too dry, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 155 to 165). Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS AND LEGS WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Arrange the chicken thighs and legs on a tray in a single layer and season them with salt, to taste. Turn the pieces on their other side and season again. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, carefully add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces. Allow them to brown on their first side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use metal tongs to turn the chicken pieces to sear their second side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray and set it aside.
• In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds and chili flakes, stirring rapidly to give them a quick toast, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and stir to combine. Season the ingredients with salt, to taste, then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to cook and all the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, keep the heat low and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. (Chef's note: If the sauce becomes overly thick or begins to stick to the bottom of the skillet, feel free to add some water, about 1/2 cup at a time.)
• When the chicken is cooked through, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve alongside the braised cabbage, if desired.

POULTRY ESSENTIALS: CHEESY TOMATO & CHICKEN BAKE

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Two of my favorite brands of tomatoes are Meir Glen, or Cento; however, another great (more common) brand is Hunts. My favorite brand of marinated artichoke hearts is Mezzetta, and they come packed in oil. Drain the oil before chopping. My favorite brand of diced green chilies, are Hatch. They come in small cans of 5 ounces (142g).
• 3. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• 4. Chef's Tip: I recommend brining the chicken breasts for an hour or two, but that is totally up to you.
• 5. Chef's Note: You will notice that in the photos, I am placing the chicken breasts into individual serving dishes. If you wish, you can place both breasts into a single baking dish, or you could cook the whole thing in an ovenproof skillet. Now that is what I call easy/peasy.
• 6. Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400f (205c).
• 7. Add the butter and oil to a skillet over medium heat.
• 8. When the foaming subsides, add the onions.
• 9. Cook until the onions soften, and turn translucent, about 4 - 5 minutes.
• 10. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
• 11. Reduce the heat to medium low, then add the tomatoes, artichokes, chilies, oregano, basil, parsley, and cumin, and stir to combine with the onions and garlic.
• 12. Allow to simmer until it reduces a bit, and beings to thicken, about 8 - 10 minutes.
• 13. Chef's Note: Add a bit of salt and pepper, to taste.
• 14. Place the tomato sauce into individual, oven-proof baking dishes, or a single dish. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and push them into the tomato sauce.
• 15. Place into the preheated oven, and bake until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165f (75c), about 30 - 35 minutes
• 16. Add the Dubliner cheese to the top, and pop under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly, and beginning to brown in spots, about 2 - 3 minutes.
• 17. PLATE/PRESENT
• 18. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and serve while nice and warm. With maybe a small side salad, and some crusty bread. Enjoy.
• 19. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

POULTRY ESSENTIALS: TOMATO-BRAISED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• If you are looking for a good Italian dry spice mix, here is the one I use: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/seasoning-mix/italian-essentials-aunt-josephine-s-seasoning-mix.html?r=5
• Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• THE SAUCE
• Add all the sauce ingredients together.
• Add to a sauté pan over medium heat.
• Bring the mixture up to a simmer.
• Allow the sauce to simmer until it reduces and begins to thicken, about 15 - 20 minutes
• Chef's Tip: The sauce will be ready, when a wooden spoon dragged through the sauce leave a trail.
• THE CHICKEN
• While the sauce is simmering, cut the chicken in half, lengthwise.
• Add some salt and pepper to both sides.
• Lay the chicken into the reduced sauce, and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Cover, and allow to lightly simmer, for 15 minutes.
• Remove lid, add the cheeses and olives, then cover for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melty.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Place the chicken on a bed of rice, and serve. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

BRAISED CHICKEN IN SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add white wine, cream and tomatoes and bring to boil. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to plates. Add basil to sauce in skillet. Increase heat and boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, about 2 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; spoon over chicken and serve.

TOMATO & SUMMER VEGETABLE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a tiny drizzle of the oil in a large saute pan. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and brown really well over a high heat until golden - this should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the rest of the oil to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and gently fry the onion, garlic, thyme and zucchini for 8 minutes until the onion is just softened and the zucchini has started to brown.
• Add the potatoes, tomatoes and stock, then return the chicken to the pan and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the green beans and lemon zest and cook for 2 minutes more until the beans are just tender. Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN IN AROMATIC TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Place chicken on platter. Add onions to Dutch oven; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spices; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and their juices and water. Return chicken to Dutch oven. Cover; simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is very tender, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar, tomato paste and sugar to Dutch oven. Simmer until thickened to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and more vinegar, if desired. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer pasta to platter. Top with chicken, sauce and cheese.

STUFFED TOMATO BASIL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice chicken breasts horizontally, without slicing them completely in half. Open the chicken breasts like a book. Place chicken and marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Place opened chicken breasts on a broiler pan. Place 4 basil leaves on the bottom half of each chicken breast. Top each with 2 or 3 tomato slices and 1 slice of cheese, and fold over top half of chicken (if necessary, fasten with toothpicks). Wrap 3 slices bacon around each chicken breast.
• Cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn chicken, and cook 15 minutes more. Remove from oven, and sprinkle chicken with Parmesan. Return to oven, and cook until cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES (POULET PROVENCAL)

Steps:

• Preheat convection oven to 400°F or regular oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
• Toss together tomatoes, onion, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13- by 9-inch or other 3-quart shallow baking dish. Push vegetables to sides of dish to make room for chicken.
• Stir together minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, remaining teaspoon herbes de Provence, and remaining tablespoon olive oil.
• Remove excess fat from chicken and pat dry, then rub inside and out with seasoning mixture. Tie legs together with string, then put chicken in baking dish.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 hour in convection oven; 1 to 1 1/4 hours in regular oven.
• Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables and pan juices.

SUMMER BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Throw in the shallots and soften, then remove and set aside. Season the chicken, turn up the heat and add to the pan with the remaining oil, browning all over. Return the shallots to the dish, pour over the stock and add the garlic, thyme, tomatoes, beans and chilli. Bring to the boil, cover and put in the oven for 30 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid and cook for 10 mins more to reduce the sauce.
• Meanwhile, pour the polenta into 700ml boiling water while whisking. Cook for 2 mins (or according to pack instructions). Season generously, remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan and butter. Serve the polenta with the chicken on top, scattered with basil.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, CUMIN AND FETA

Steps:

• Pat the chicken dry, trim away excess fat, then season well all over with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons cumin.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy 12-inch skillet over medium until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. (It's OK if they are a little snug; they will shrink as they cook.) Cook without moving until the skin is crispy and easily releases from the pan, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to turn over and cook until the bottom is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes more, then transfer to a plate.
• Add the onions to the rendered chicken fat in the skillet, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon cumin and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the harissa and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, and season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high, then adjust the temperature to maintain an active simmer. Cook until it becomes a deeper red color, about 5 minutes more.
• Add any juices that collected on the plate, stir to mix, then nestle in the chicken thighs, skin-side up, so that the skin is above the sauce. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then partly cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. (If you'd like crispier skin, pop the chicken under the broiler for a minute or two.)
• Garnish with the feta and cilantro and serve with bread or herbed rice.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH TOMATILLOS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to pot, skin side down and cook, without disturbing, until skin has rendered most of the fat and is a nice golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (You want it to be very deeply golden brown so that it stays nice and brown as it braises.)
• Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue to cook until nicely browned on the other side, another 5 or so minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board, leaving all the fat and golden bits behind. Add smashed garlic and half of the sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatillos and half of the jalapeño and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken back in, skin side up (they will not submerge all the way; that's fine). Simmer, uncovered, until tomatillos have completely broken down and the sauce has thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add hominy and continue to cook until flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (it should be looser than tomato sauce, thicker than soup), another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine radish, remaining onion, remaining jalapeño and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
• Serve each piece of chicken with sauce spooned around. Top with radish mixture, some cilantro and tortillas alongside for sopping up all the goods.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH TOMATOES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottom skillet. Add the chicken breasts and saute over medium-high heat, turning the pieces often until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add the shallots and garlic around the chicken. Cook briefly; add the tarragon, tomatoes, vinegar, capers, wine and tomato paste. Stir to dissolve the brown particles adhering to the bottom of the skillet.
• Blend well, bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer for 9 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.