Rosé wine gives chicken breasts the flavour of Provence
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are a convenient go-to for so many cooks, from paleo-followers to budget-shoppers to busy moms.
The mild flavour makes it incredibly versatile, so it’s easy to slip this cut of chicken into almost any recipe or flavour profile. It’s one of the leanest cuts of meat available, with a quarter pound boasting 34 grams of protein, and only 4 grams of fat.
The challenge with such l ow fat is, of course, keeping the meat tender and juicy. A minute or two extra of cook time can take dinner from succulent to stringy. Grilling breasts brings extra risk, since cooking temperatures are high, narrowing the timing window, so it’s even more important to get it just right. A few tips will help tremendously here.
The biggest challenge is getting the inside of the meat to cook before the outside gets tough, so the best move you can make is to use smaller chicken cutlets. Organic or free-range chicken breasts solve this problem completely, or if you have larger conventional cutlets, trim them in half or thirds before cooking.
Next, avoid cooking the meat when it’s super cold, by allowing it to sit at room temperature for a half-hour before grilling. And heat the grill only to medium high, or if using charcoal, avoid putting breasts on the hottest part of the grill. Chicken breast meat is usually done a minute or two before I suspect it will be, so I always rely on an inexpensive meat thermometer, making sure to remove the chicken at 160 degrees, and letting it rest for five minutes to keep the meat at maximum juiciness.
This recipe is inspired by ingredients typical of the region of Provence in the south of France, but easily found in a well-stocked supermarket. Rosé wine is the secret behind the simple marinade that imparts a lightly sweet flavour, but if you have a floral white wine at home, it will do the trick nicely, too.
Olives and roasted red peppers from a jar add Mediterranean colour, and a bit of balsamic syrup brings a bit of welcome acidity.
Chicken Breasts Provençal
MAKES 4 SERVINGS 4 chicken breasts cutlets, about 5 ounces each 1/3 cup rosé wine (or fruity white wine) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tbsp dried herbes de Provence (or mix of oregano, marjoram and thyme) ¼ cup jarred roasted sweet red peppers, sliced, with the oil drained ¼ cup high-quality olives 1 tbsp balsamic syrup (asterisk) Kosher salt Black pepper
Start to finish: 15 minutes, plus marinating In a bowl or resealable plastic bag, place the chicken, wine, olive oil, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper and mix well to coat the chicken breasts.
Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to eight hours refrigerated — with the final 30 minutes at room temperature.
When ready to cook, heat the grill (or a grill pan, if indoors) to medium high and lightly oil the grates.
Lightly blot excess marinade off the chicken breasts and grill until cooked through and meat is 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer, about four to five minutes per side.
(Using a meat thermometer will help avoid overcooking.)
Remove the chicken from the grill and place directly on warmed dish or platter.
Top with the roasted red peppers and olives and drizzle with the balsamic syrup. Let chicken rest a few minutes, and serve. (To whip together a quick homemade balsamic syrup, boil about ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar with ½ teaspoon of brown sugar in a small saucepan until the mixture is reduced by half.)
Per serving: 241 calories (91 from f at); 10 grams fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 86 milligrams cholesterol; 436 mg sodium; 5 g carbohydrate; 1 g fibre; 2 g sugar; 27 g protein.