All my life I have been a rule follower.
Well.….er, most of the time. I don’t want any pictures or artifacts surfacing to prove me different so I will amend completely change my statement.
Most of the time, I was a rule follower. I tried to do the right thing, and felt guilty if I didn’t. I am still like that. No matter how ridiculous it was that my newly turned one year old had to pay to get into the children’s museum a year back, I just couldn’t bring myself to lie say he wasn’t one yet.
I am just that person who tries to follow the rules
So….are there rules for what you should eat during each season? Because if the answer to that is yes, I am really a rebel right now.
Something about 100 degrees for me just screams………chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy?
Well, it did the other night. Tender chicken inside a crunchy, nutty pistachio coating, smothered in a creamy dijon sauce.All while the temperatures really heat up outside.
Definitely not bikini body food, I can assure you of that—although no worries on this end.
That ship sailed a long time ago.
I don’t know what it is about the hot weather, but it really made me want to cook up this meal, but it did. I can’t seem to stop now. I have been baking cookies, and even thinking about making…..soup?
I think I have turned a corner.
I might just be….a real rule breaker.
Some might even say…a rebel.
Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce
Chicken:
4, 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded about 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios
1 1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbslp brown sugar
salt, pepper
2 eggs
2 tblsp lemon juice
2 tblsp cornstarch
Olive oil for sauteeing
Sauce:
3 tblsp butter
2 tbslp finely chopped shallots
2 tblsp flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tblsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside pounded chicken breasts. In a food processor, pulse pistachios until finely ground. Add panko, salt, pepper and sugar. Pulse once or twice until combined. Pour mixture into a container for dredging the chicken, set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and cornstarch. Heat olive oil in large saute pan on medium heat. Salt and pepper each chicken breast and dip into egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumb pistachio mixture. Place in pan, and repeat with other chicken breasts, placing in pan being careful not to crowd. Saute for 3-4 minutes and turn over and repeat on other side for 3-4 minutes, until crust is golden brown (watch heat-if it is too high, the pistachios will burn). Remove pan from heat and place in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through). Let rest while you prepare the sauce.
In a small saucepan, heat butter on medium heat until it begins to melt and add shallots. Turn heat to low stirring the shallots and butter until shallots become soft and fragrant. Add flour and whisk until a roux is formed. Add cream and whisk until smooth. Keep whisking and add mustard, salt, pepper and thyme. Whisk until smooth and heated through about two minutes. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve. (The sauce is excellent on mashed potatoes too!).
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