Friday, August 3, 2012

Herb Crusted Grilled Chicken with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce


It's been one of those days...

I don't think you can understand it unless you're a mommy. I don't mean that to be offensive but its just one of those things. I'll try to explain.

Julia is 2. She can really express emotions very well now and can get a tad dramatic. It's so beautiful to see her grow and flourish but can be overwhelming.

She was a mini me today. We worked out together, we shopped together, we played together and she was just amazing. She even counted to 10 today for the first time(usually its up to 4).

On the flip side, Jacob is itty bitty and only understands two things.. Mommy is holding me or mommy is not holding me. Which is also a beautiful stage that I am so blessed to experience again.

Long story short, it was just one of those days where you are filled with so much love and happiness and your kids realllllly need you so your just in "momma mode" with no off switch. Not even for a second.  My point is...

I wanted to just go with the flow for dinner, throw in ingredients here and there and just go with my cooking instincts and not have to think.

Enough babble.. here we go.

I originally took out chicken breasts for cutlets. But that includes dipping and dredging and frying and I still felt guilty about my bacon egg and cheese bagel this morning AND a slice of pizza in the afternoon. Grilled chicken it is!

2 chicken breasts trimmed and cleaned in a bowl.
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup dried oregano
1 tsp ground rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste.

set aside

In a small sauce pan...
1 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped

cook until butter is melted and garlic is nice and brown
Add in 1 small can tomato sauce(San Marzano is the best but Tutorosso is a very close 2nd)
simmer on medium-low heat until little bubbles start forming.
increase to medium-high and pour in about 1/8 cup red wine.

side note- I used "The Velvet Devil" Merlot to drink and cook with for this. @ around $14 it's at a good price point where you don't feel guilty cooking with it but its still decent enough to drink. A little tart for my taste personally but still very good.  It's actually made in Washington which is pretty cool and the label is fun if you were to show up with it at a party or a dinner.
Once the sauce comes to a bubble again lower the heat and let it settle a bit. Throw in 1/8 cup basil 2 tablespoons oregano and 1 pinch of onion powder.

Get a griddle pan ready by heating it up on the stove a bit.

Add in 1/4 cup heavy cream to the sauce pan and throw the chicken in the griddle pan.
Grill until brown on both sides. about 10 minutes total for thin chicken breasts. While the chicken is cooking the sauce should be thickening. This would be the time to prepare pasta or another kind of side to serve with it.  Polenta or risotto would be delicious with this but I didn't have the time. We used whole wheat thin spaghetti.

When the chicken is 90% cooked, take it out and cut in slices. Throw back on the griddle and cook until all the chicken juices and herbs are coating all sides of the chicken slices.. This step isn't necessary but if serving with pasta its nicer to slice it so that you, and whoever you are serving it to (in my case, Hubby) doesn't have to sit there with a fork and knife cutting it up in the pasta dish.

Serve tomato basil cream sauce over the pasta or risotto or polenta and add your grilled chicken.Serve with the rest of your wine, that is... if you didn't drink it all while cooking.


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