West Coast Poblano Chicken With Sauteed Mache
Christy Rost
| Ingredients: | |
|---|---|
| 2 | whole poblano peppers |
| 4 | boneless, skinless chicken breast halves |
| 3 | teaspoons onion powder |
| 2 | teaspoons garlic powder |
| ½ | teaspoon ground cumin |
| ¼ | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
| ½ | teaspoon coarse salt |
| 1/8 | teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
| 4 | slices Manchego cheese |
| 1 ½ | tablespoons olive oil |
| 4 | cloves minced garlic |
| 2 | tablespoons tequila |
| 4 | ounces mâche heirloom salad greens |
Grill or broil the poblano peppers until the skin has blackened, remove them from the heat, and place them in a plastic zipper bag to steam until the skin softens, about 15 minutes. When they are soft, transfer the peppers to a cutting board, gently peel off skin, and discard.
Slice the peppers open lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds, using a paper towel to wipe remaining seeds off pepper. Slice each pepper in half, place them in between plastic wrap, and set aside.
Pound the chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness and trim the edges with a sharp knife. In a large, shallow bowl, stir together the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat; add olive oil.
Generously sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the onion powder mixture; place them face down in the skillet. Sauté the chicken 5 minutes until it is golden brown; turn, and sauté the other side 4 to 5 minutes until it browns. Turn the chicken over and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until it is almost done.
Turn the chicken once more and top it with a prepared poblano pepper and a slice of Manchego cheese. Reduce the heat to low and heat just until the cheese begins to melt. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter, cover it with a domed lid or a dome of aluminum foil so the foil doesn’t touch the melting cheese.
Sauté the minced garlic in the pan 1 minute, stirring constantly. Deglaze the pan with tequila, scraping up any brown bits. Add the mâche and sauté it just until it begins to wilt.
Divide the mâche onto 4 dinner plates. Top it with the chicken and serve with guacamole and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
Recipe makes 4 servings.
Category: Poultry