Monday, June 28, 2010

Citrus Basil Chicken

Sunday afternoon Aubrey and I went out to the garden to pick some basil. We were looking at the other vegetables to see how they were coming along, and a black snake slivered about 2 feet from our toes and into the corn. I was in front of Aubrey, and he immediately pulled me out of the way like a hero. Needless to say, we didn't walk through the garden like we planned. We just snipped the basil and went back inside the house.

This chicken was amazing! I wish I could remember the words Aubrey was using to describe it, but I do remember him saying that it was very tender and the perfect summer dish. I think the citrus and the basil really work well together, and the toasted almonds give another dimension with texture.



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (I used less)
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:
Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the basil and honey in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the orange juice mixture into a large sealable plastic bag and add 1 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and chicken. Seal tightly and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning at least once.

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken. Saute for 4 minutes per side or until brown. Arrange the chicken in a lightly greased 7x11-inch baking dish and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat and add the almonds. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and spoon 1 tablespoon of the almond mixture over each chicken breast.

Source: Tables of Content- The Junior League of Birmingham, Alabama

1 comment:

Meg said...

I've never combined basil with a fruity taste, but this looks delicious! May have to do this the next time I have some chicken to cook....Illu.