One of these days I'm going to get back in my rhythm of posting a couple times a week. Clearly, January was not that time for me. Between lovely house guests and birthdays galore, my blog really got neglected. Here's hoping for less procrastination in February.
While my mom and sister visited this month, I made this recipe for Chicken with Olives and Capers. It's a pretty easy recipe, with the exception of the ever spattering olive oil* that attacked me mercilessly while cooking. On the up side, this scene led to what my sister has dubbed as my new catch phrase: "Imma flip the $#!@ out!!" Ok, maybe that's not really an up side.
Anyway, the recipe itself is pretty straightforward with sauteed chicken covered in olives, onions, and capers and drowned in a gravy made from the chicken's own juices. I paired this with creamy polenta, which I will feature in another post, but it would also go well with rice, barley, potatoes, or really any other starch. Enjoy!
Chicken with Olives and Capers
Adapted from delish.com
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup green olives, chopped (Spanish olives will also work well)
2 tablespoon capers
Flour as needed
Procedure:
- Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, producing 8 thin breasts. Place these pieces in between plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4 inch thickness. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan in one layer (you may have to do this in batches). Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until the chicken is browned on either side and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This is what will add the flavor to the gravy.
- Once the brown bits are scraped up, add the olives and capers. Also add back any juices from the plate of chicken. Bring the sauce to a boil and allow to boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and let sit about 5 minutes.
- Thicken the sauce to desired consistency by adding flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. To do this, add 1 tablespoon of flour, whisk into the sauce, and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Continue this step as needed to thicken the sauce as much or as little as you would like.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken to serve.
*By the way, to reduce spattering, make sure that your pan is completely dry. Water will increase spattering, so in addition, pat down your chicken to remove excess moisture. Finally, oil can spatter if your heat is too high, so you may want to turn the heat down slightly. Best of luck!
Ryan's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers - 5. And for some guest ratings:
Momma's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers - 5.
Jeanne's rating of Chicken with Olives and Capers - 4.
1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.
2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.
3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.
4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.
5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.