Chicken with Grape Sauce
I know the past few recipes I shared had a laundry list of ingredients, so I wanted to come up with a meal this time around that had less ingredients and shared some “crossover ingredients” (ingredients used in both recipes) that was also really satisfying and delicious.
I found this meal to be like an updated classic of sautéed chicken with mashed potatoes with a little more sophistication and it took no time at all.
Ingredients
1 tsp vegetable oil
6 oz chicken breast, cut into thin slices (paillard)
1 small shallot, minced
¾ cup red seedless grapes, cut into half (can also use green grapes)
½ cup of chicken broth
2 sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp sherry vinegar (feel free to substitute with sherry wine)
Cauliflower and Potato Mash
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
12 oz Yukon gold potatoes, cut in half (leave skins on)
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 cup skim milk
4 sprigs of thyme
1 ½ tbsp of Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax (you can use real butter if you prefer)
Cooking instructions
Cut the chicken breast into thin slices or paillards. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat your sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sauté the chicken for approximately one minute on each side and then set aside (chicken will not be cooked through, don’t worry).
Turn the heat down to medium and add the shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the grapes and sauté for another 2 minutes or until slightly wilted. Add the chicken broth and thyme and reduce by half.
Add the sherry vinegar and the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
I never use the microwave to cook food. I actually didn’t even own a microwave for 2 years. However, I recently discovered that steaming some vegetables works really well in microwave, especially cauliflower. I place my florets in a large bowl (microwave safe) with about 2 tbsp of water. Season the cauliflower liberally with salt and pepper. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and cook for about 8-9 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender, checking every 4 minutes. When cooked through, drain water and set aside.
In a separate pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover with COLD water. Season very liberally with salt and bring pot up to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. In a separate small pot, add thyme and milk and bring up to a simmer and let the thyme infuse into the milk.
When potatoes are cooked through, drain the water and place back into the pot (make sure you add the garlic as well). Stir potatoes and garlic until the water has evaporated and they look very dry. Add your steamed cauliflower and milk (without the thyme) and begin to mash. Towards the end of the mashing, add your Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax and season again with salt and pepper.
I like to serve the chicken and potatoes with a simple green vegetable. In this case, it was garlicky sautéed spinach with lemon. The chicken is simple enough to make everyday but also elegant enough for company and if you have grapes lying around in your fridge it’s an easy dish to throw together. And don’t skip out on the sherry vinegar; the acidity brings out the sweetness of the grapes.
The cauliflower and potato mash was the biggest surprise of all. I love the texture of potatoes with the skins on and the pieces of cauliflower added another dimension. If you drain your cauliflower properly and dry your potatoes out after they have been cooked you will end up with a fluffy and rich tasting side dish. Enjoy these dishes sometime this week, you won’t be disappointed!
