Dinner Tonight: Fennel-Dusted Chicken with Brown Butter and Capers
[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]
I'm not sure what first caught my eye--the fennel or the fact that this recipe from the most recent issue of Gourmet could be whipped up in less than thirty minutes. But there I found myself in the middle of preparation, before ever wondering if it would taste good or not. I suppose I should just trust Gourmet, but I certainly didn't expect this to work so well.
The brown butter adds a surprising amount of complexity, especially considering the limited number of ingredients. The fennel does add a licorice note, but the real story here is actually the interplay between the slightly sweet orange juice and the briny, salty capers. It's a great pan sauce.
I had to change a few things, namely the chicken. Instead of chicken cutlets I used skin-on boneless chicken breasts with the tenderloin removed. It will take a touch longer to cook than cutlets, but the result is crispy skin with perfectly juicy meat. Plus you'll get a more concentrated sauce. I ate these with sautéed squash, but some potatoes would also work.
Fennel-Dusted Chicken with Brown Butter and Capers
- serves 2 -
Adapted from Gourmet.
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds, finely ground
1 teaspoon salt
2 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, tenderloins removed
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Canola oil
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons orange juice
Procedure
1. Mix together the ground fennel and salt. Dry the chicken breasts, and then sprinkle the fennel salt all over the chicken breasts.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and all of the oil to a skillet set over medium heat. Place the chicken breasts skin-side down in the skillet. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes a side, until cooked all the way through. Set the chicken breasts aside.
3. Pour in the capers and orange juice, bring to a boil and scrap any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook for a minute or so, or until thick. Turn off the heat, and add the rest of the butter. Stir well.
4. Plate the chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken.
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7 Comments:
Are all capers equal?
QueenAlli at 5:06PM on 09/23/09
I think, like anchovies the best ones are salt packed.
nerditry at 6:53PM on 09/23/09
Why remove part of the breasts? To speed cooking time so you don't burn the butter? Can't you just saute the breasts in the oil, until you flip them and then add the butter if that's the case? And the term "tenderloin" is new to me vis-a-vis chicken breast. Is that the thickest single muscle in the breast?
Sov at 8:57PM on 09/23/09
Where does one buy fennel dust? Is it more a farmer's market thing or a Penzey's thing?
emilydev at 8:37AM on 09/24/09
@Queenalli: I'm not sure. I just used regular brined capers that you buy in a jar. they worked fine.
@sov: it's the part of the breast they use to make chicken tenders. By removing it you can cook the breast quickly and more evenly.
@emilydev: It's just a fancy name Gourmet used to title it. Use whole fennel seeds and grind them. Or you can just buy pre-ground fennel.
Nick Kindelsperger at 8:43AM on 09/24/09
Try using fennel pollen. It is available at Kalustyans on Lex. Ave. around 28th in NYC. Not cheap, but works grat with chicken and pork.
tedg64 at 2:33PM on 09/24/09
Made this last night and it got two very enthusiastic thumbs up from the table. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and it was just fine and perfect.
I found ground fennel in the bulk spice section of my normal grocery store. Not a store known for exotic ingredients, so shouldn't be too hard to come by.
This is going in my file of easy and delish dinners!!
arwenb at 8:55AM on 10/12/09