Sicilian chicken breast with quick tomato sauce

I was cooking a private dinner one evening, and one of the guests was very particular about her diet. The curated menu did not fit her lifestyle, so she asked me to make something special for her at the last minute. This is very unusual for me. Usually, all guests have a curated menu made just for them. But chefs are also the ultimate hosts, so I agreed to make something special that fits her diet. She is from Sicily and only wanted chicken breast as a basic grilled healthy dish.

I returned to my memory bank and created this dish for her on the fly.

Sicily is known for its pistachios, which are unrivalled in flavour. They are smaller, sweeter, and richer than standard pistachios, hence referred to as “Sicily’s green gold.” Balsamic vinegar is also a special ingredient on the island, so I was looking for a dish that combined these two ingredients.

The chicken is delicate and crusted with pistachios, soft and juicy. The tangy tomato sauce pairs well with the nutty flavours. This is a simple dish but exquisite. The client was happy that she could remember familiar tastes from back her home in Sicily to bangalore.

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Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally into very thin breasts

3/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped fine

6 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 tomatoes, minced

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Mix the pistachios, garlic, pepper, and salt well. Mash the mixture onto the chicken breasts, making it stick. Set aside.

Heat the oil for the tomato sauce. Add the garlic and fry on low heat for 20 seconds until it is just golden. Add the pepper, tomatoes, and salt and cook for 10 minutes until you have a sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer gently until the chicken is cooked, but be careful that it stays wet and does not burn.

Add the oil to a frying pan. Heat on low, and add the chicken breasts. Fry on low heat for 5-6 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through. Make sure the heat is low; you want the chicken to cook into the center and not burn the pistachio crust. Flip and cook for 4-5 minutes more until the crust is lightly golden and the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Add the balsamic to the tomato sauce and mix in well. Take off the stove.

To serve, spoon the sauce onto a plate and make it into a spiral. Add the chicken breast on top. Serve hot.