Easy Skillet Chicken Breasts Nero Style
- Ready In:
- 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 18
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 4 whole chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 16 asparagus spears, trimmed, washed and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 (9 ounce) box frozen artichoke hearts, slightly thawed
- 2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons shallots, chopped
- 1 (3 1/4 ounce) can pitted black olives, drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
directions
- Wash and dry chicken breasts; spread out and flatten between two pieces of waxed paper. Set aside.
- Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch, heavy-bottom skillet.
- Saute' the asparagus, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and reserve.
- Mix together the salt, pepper and onion powder; sprinkle over chicken breasts.
- In a shallow dish mix together the rosemary, thyme and breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken in the egg and roll in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
- To the skillet used for the asparagus and artichoke hearts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves and breaded chicken breasts to the skillet, without crowding the pan. Sauté the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, without moving. Adjust the heat, up or down if needed. Turn the breasts and continue to sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is evenly browned and cooked throughout.
- Next, add the asparagus, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, shallots, olives and white wine; drizzle evenly with lemon juice. Cover and lower the heat. Cook for an additional minute, turn breasts over, cover, and cook another minute - until wine cooks out.
- Serve over angel hair pasta with a freshly tossed green salad and warm dinner rolls. Bueno Appetito!
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It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured.
Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking.
On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen.
If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!"
Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn.
I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry.
I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen.
Buon appetito!