"I'd Say Yes Again" Chicken
made a few tasty tweaks to this popular recipe
This is my fun twist on the very popular “Marry Me Chicken” recipe. Since I’ve been happily married for almost 30 years, I thought, while I was making a few changes, I’d also rename it….lol!
I know, I know. I’m super late to this trendy recipe. It’s one of those recipes I’ve meant to play around with for ages, but other recipes kept cutting the line.
The other night I was really struggling with what to make for dinner. I still haven’t done a full-on market trip since I got back from NYC and Boston. The weather in Seattle has been so awful I haven’t wanted to leave my house. I really wish Jane would send over some sunshine. I know she’s been having gorgeous weather in the UK…..and if the weather here doesn’t improve soon, I’ll be booking a ticket to go visit her!
Anyway, the other night I was looking in my very empty fridge trying to sort out what to make. It was really rainy, so I was craving something creamy, but not too heavy. I had some chicken breasts I defrosted (trying to eat more protein these days!). There was also cream, but I wasn’t in the mood for a mustard chicken (which is my “go to” lazy dinner).
I hunted through the pantry……
lots of chickpeas — but I wasn’t feeling beans
cans of tomatoes — hmmmm….close, but not quite right
cans of tuna fish — a definite no for obvious reasons
capers — nope
tahini — interesting, but maybe another time
sundried tomatoes — ok, now we’re getting somewhere
So, cream + sundried tomatoes + ???????
In the back of my fridge there was half a bag of spinach that was starting to wilt.
Then I thought — I love a rich, creamy tomatoey vodka sauce……and all of sudden the creative juices started flowing!
And that’s how my version of the very popular “Marry Me Chicken” was created.
Hopefully, getting a little insight into how my recipe testing and creation usually goes is helpful! I always follow what I’m craving, what sounds good, what recent recipe I’ve read about/recently eaten that inspires me and couple that with ingredients I have on hand.
Other tidbits about this dish:
Leeks — I love the mild onion flavor leeks add to a dish. But if you don’t have a leek, sauté an onion until it’s gets brown and caramelized. This will soften the sharp flavor and add a tremendous amount of sweetness to the recipe.
Shallots — shallots are a milder sweeter version of garlic. I love sautéeing leeks and shallots together because the flavors work together without competing.
Flour — Dredging the chicken in flour will not only help it brown, but the residual flour in the pan will help thicken the sauce.
Tomato paste — this adds a more concentrated tomato flavor than, say, a can of tomatoes. The longer you cook the paste, the sweeter the flavor which is what you want for this dish. That’s why it’s important to cook it until the color turns a deep dark red. Raw tomato paste has a slightly metallic taste, and as it cooks it caramelizes which releases the sugars and sweetens it.
Red wine — I love the sweet acidic flavor wine adds to this dish, but you could also add vodka or rosé.
Substitution options — sliced mushrooms would be excellent!
For all the sauce lovers — if you like extra sauce, double the chicken stock and the cream.
In case you’re wondering, my husband devoured it and said he would absolutely marry me all over again……great news, considering we’ll be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary next month. 😉
Until next Friday, Foodie Friends!!
xo,
Lisa & Jane
Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
3 large chicken skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced thin
1-2 large handfuls of spinach
Directions
The first step is to slice your chicken breasts in half to create 6 thin chicken cutlets. Before you start, pat your chicken dry and place the 3 breasts on a sheet pan. Take one breast at a time, place on a cutting board, and with a very sharp knife, slice the breast horizontally starting at the thickest end.
I like to place my hand straight down on top of the chicken, so it doesn’t move around on the board. Gently, with a back and forth motion of your knife, cut the breast in half.
Another way to cut the breasts into cutlets is use frozen breasts. They won’t slip around on your board, and are generally easier to cut in half. You’ll then need to let the breasts thaw before continuing on with the recipe.
Season the chicken, on both sides, with salt and pepper.
Put the flour in a large plate, and dredge the chicken through it, patting gently so flour covers both sides. Then shake (gently, so flour doesn’t go flying all over the place!) and place on a sheet pan.
Continue this process until all 6 cutlets have been dredged, on both sides, with flour.
In a large sauté pan (like this one), add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, and the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, in one layer, and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side.
You might need to add more oil, if the pan is looking dry. And, if you’re doubling this recipe, or if you have a small pan, you’ll need to cook the chicken in batches.
When chicken is done, remove with tongs and set aside on a large platter.
After all the chicken is cooked, add another 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When the butter is melted and gently bubbling, add the leeks, garlic and shallots. Sauté until they start to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, stirring continuously, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Then add the wine, bring to a boil and gently boil until reduced by half.
Add the chicken stock and simmer until it’s also reduced by half. Then stir in the cream and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5-8 minutes.
Stir in the sundried tomatoes and spinach and simmer gently until the spinach is wilted.
Add the chicken back to the pan, warm over low heat, and, as the chicken warms, spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Serve over rice, couscous, or pasta.