Seared Chicken Breast With Rice Pilaf Recipes

PAN SEARED CHICKEN WITH TENDER LEEK, LEMON RICE PILAF, AND WHATEVER YOUR GARDEN GROWS SALAD

Steps:

• Trim leeks of tough green ends and roots. Split leeks lengthwise, then cut across into 1/2-inch slices. Place sandy slices of leeks into a large bowl filled with cold water. Separating the layers of each slice to free the grains of sand. Allow the sand to settle to the bottom of the bowl. With your hands, gently lift the leeks out of the water leaving the sand and dirt behind. Place the leeks within arm's reach of the stovetop.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to skillet to coat the pan, then add chicken breasts. Brown chicken breasts 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate.
• Add a little more oil to the pan, then pour in leeks. Saute leeks 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add 1 cup wine to the pan and nestle chicken breasts down into leeks. Reduce heat to simmer and cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes longer.
• To serve, remove chicken from pan and slice on an angle. Fan and arrange sliced chicken breasts over a bed of Sauteed leeks on each dinner plate or a warm serving platter. Serve with rice and salad.
• Pilaf: heat a medium saucepan or pot over moderate heat. Add oil and butter and shallots to the pan. Saute shallots 2 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups rice. Lightly brown rice 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and allow it to evaporate entirely, 1 to 2 minutes. Add thyme and chicken broth to the rice. Fill broth can half-again with water or, measure 1 cup water and add to pot. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover rice and reduce heat. Cook rice 20 minutes, until tender.
• Stir the zest of 1 lemon and parsley into rice. Transfer lemon rice to dinner plates or warm serving dish and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.
• Heat 3-inches of water in a deep skillet and heat to a boil. Add trimmed wax and green beans and julienne sliced yellow squash to the pot. Simmering vegetables in water for 2 minutes, add red peppers and simmer 1 minute longer. You want the vegetables to remain full of color and bite. Drain vegetables and cold-shock under running water in your colander.
• Place drained vegetables in a serving dish and combine with sliced scallions and shredded dark garden greens, such as spinach or arugula.
• Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. Add olive oil in a slow stream while whisking to get a nice emulsion of your dressing. Add herbs and pour dressing over the salad. Toss salad to combine flavors and coat your vegetables evenly.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH DIRTY RICE

Steps:

• For the dirty rice: Combine 2 cups of the chicken broth and the rice, garlic, bay leaf and thyme bundle in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme; fluff the rice.
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onions and bell peppers and sweat the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken hearts and livers, andouille and corn; cook until browned. Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the kidney beans. Add the garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons salt. Simmer until the liquid reduces and everything is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the rice to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with the sliced scallions.
• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt all over and place them skin-side down in the pan. Sear both sides until golden brown. Add the butter and Worcestershire sauce and baste the chicken for a minute. With the breasts skin-side down, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees F, 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Prepare an ice water bath in a bowl. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove the green beans and immediately shock them in the ice bath to stop cooking; drain. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the green beans and cook until warmed through and tender.
• Serve the chicken with green beans and dirty rice.

CHICKEN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt margerine in a casserole dish.
• Brown orzo.
• Add boiling water and chicken broth, and stir.
• Add rice and stir.
• Cook in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• For variation, try adding 1/2 cup mixed vegetables, 1 can mushrooms, or 1 small can peas.
• Use your imagination.