Braised Chicken With Garlic Wine
The month of November is over. It seems like it just flew by so quickly. Thanksgiving is over and the entire buzz with shopping just ceased for little bit. Now all eyes are starring at the month of December and the countdown begins for Christmas, next most awaited holidays in my family. Lots of preparations are going on around the world to welcome Christmas. Before we get into the next holiday celebration mood I want to post something that is simple and easy and here comes the recipe for 'Braised Chicken With Garlic Wine'.
The technique of braising the chicken breast with white wine, that is infused with herbs and spices gives the chicken a pleasant upheaval. This is an easy Friday night dinner if you have the garlic wine prepared ahead and the chicken is super moist and goes well with side of roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes.
I am a huge fan of garlic wine sauce and I try it out with shrimp or chicken whatever is available. As a working Mom, I long for Fridays and it's really a time for us to relax together as a family. I planned yesterday to make the chicken tonight, so made the Garlic wine ahead to ease the exertion of preparing Friday night dinner. Kids were busy watching their favorite 'Sponge Bob' show while I prepared the dinner and it was all ready to be served when their show finished and Dad was home after work.
Serves - 5
Ingredients
Garlic Wine
5 cloves - garlic crushed
1/4 tsp - peppercorn crushed
1/8 tsp - red pepper flakes
1 cup - white cooking wine
1/2 tsp - fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp - fresh oregano
1/2 tsp - fresh basil
Ingredients for Braising Chicken
5 - Cleaned chicken breast halves
2 cloves - garlic minced
1/8 tsp - red pepper flakes
1 tsp - chopped basil
1 tsp - flour
1 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for sauce
1 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1 clove - garlic crushed
3/4 cup - garlic wine
1 tsp - flour
1/4 cup - low fat milk
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine all the ingredients for the garlic wine and keep covered in the refrigerator for atleast 8 hrs or overnight.
- Take a small saucepan and bring the garlic wine mixture to just boil and turn off the stove and let it cool.
- Strain all the solids from the wine and keep it aside.
- Pat dry the cleaned chicken breast and apply minced garlic, pepper flakes, chopped basil, salt and pepper on the chicken and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes dust the 2 tsps of flour lightly on the chicken breast on both sides, by flipping each side.
- Heat a non-stick pan with Olive oil and add chicken breast and saute on both sides till lightly browned on both sides and no longer pink inside. Do this step in batches if the pan is not big enough.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- In the same pan add 1 tbsp of Olive Oil and crushed garlic and cook till it is golden brown.
- Add 3/4 cup garlic wine and bring to boil. Add the chicken breast to the pan and cook on low heat uncovered for another 10 minutes by flipping the sides after 5 minutes.
- Mix 1 tsp of flour in 1/4 cup of milk and add it to the chicken and season with salt and pepper and simmer till the sauce gets slightly thicker.
- Transfer the chicken to the serving plate and pour the sauce over it and serve hot with roasted or steamed vegetables on the side.
- The refrigeration of the garlic wine overnight should not be omitted as it adds nice flavor to the whole dish.
- Do not cover the chicken with sauce while cooking. The amount of garlic wine specified in the recipe will be good enough to braise the chicken in the sauce.
- You can use low fat cream instead of milk in this recipe.
