Try this Portuguese Chicken recipe
- Carbohydrate 10.1905314817435 g
- Cholesterol 213.540625095365 mg
- Fat 27.6440982917404 g
- Fiber 0.18703805899035 g
- Protein 60.1825860385106 g
- Saturated Fat 15.5047697220323 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (480g)
- Sodium 529.993078873025 mg
- Sugar 10.0034934227532 g
- Trans Fat 2.31435295059816 g
- Calories 553 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken breasts, and cook until nicely browned on both sides.
- Pour in chicken stock and white wine, using enough chicken stock so that the chicken pieces are covered halfway to two thirds by liquid.
- Add whole garlic cloves.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle flour over the top of the contents of the pan and cover with a lid.
- Simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- When chicken is cooked through, remove to a dish, and keep warm.
- Boil the liquid in the skillet until it is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups.
- Whisk cream into the reduced liquid, breaking up the garlic cloves as much as you can.
- Return chicken to the pan, and heat through.
Controlling the initial heat when searing bone-in chicken breast halves determines the final texture of the skin. Set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat with butter, allowing the fat to foam before introducing the poultry. Searing requires patience; do not move the breasts until a golden-brown crust forms naturally after roughly six to eight minutes, which ensures the skin releases easily from the metal surface without tearing. Achieving this deep color builds the foundational fond necessary for the white wine and chicken stock braising liquid.
Adapting for Dietary Restrictions
Modifying traditional European poultry dishes for specific nutritional needs requires careful selection of fats and thickeners. To remove dairy, substitute clarified ghee or a neutral high-smoke-point oil for the butter, and replace the heavy cream at the finish with full-fat canned coconut milk or an unflavored plant-based heavy cream alternative at a one-to-one ratio. The all-purpose flour sprinkled over the simmering pan contents acts as the primary binder, but arrowroot powder works equally well for gluten-free diets when whisked directly into the reduced pan juices just before returning the meat. Whole garlic cloves soften during the forty-minute simmer and dissolve easily into the liquid, creating body without requiring additional starches.
- Pan sauces containing cream will separate if boiled vigorously after dairy is added; keep the heat at a gentle simmer once the cream is incorporated.
- Leftovers stored in an airtight container remain safe for consumption up to three days, though the cream sauce may tighten significantly upon refrigeration and requires low heat with a splash of stock to loosen.
- Ensure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing the meat to the resting dish.
