Not Col. Sanders

Sautéed Chicken with Lemon and Ginger

Zest and juice from 1 large lemon

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon mild Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 to 2 ½ lbs chicken tenders

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Mix the first four ingredients together in a large glass bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oil and butter. When the fats are quite hot, carefully place chicken in the pan to sear. Cook on one side for about 3 minutes then turn over and cook for another 3 minutes or until no longer pink in the thickest part. Remove chicken to a warm platter and cover or place in a warming drawer while making the sauce.

1 cup water

2 teaspoons chicken stock paste

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon mild Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons orange marmalade (or orange and fig preserves)

Mix the chicken stock paste into the water. Add to the sauté pan to deglaze. Stir over medium high heat until bottom of pan is cleared. Stir in the ginger, lemon zest and mustard. Continue boiling and stirring until liquid is reduced by half and begins to thicken slightly. Stir in marmalade and continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced to one third. Remove from heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons cold butter until butter is incorporated. Spoon over warm chicken and serve.

 

Hints: I use ginger in a bottle or tube for this dish. Be sure that the fat in the pan is hot when you place the chicken in so that it will sear properly. The brown bits left on the bottom of the pan when you have finished cooking the chicken is called fond. This is always a good basis for a sauce.

My family liked this chicken a lot. But I can see that I need to get much better at photographing meat dishes because it doesn't look too great. It really was good. Hopefully the next time I provide a meat recipe, the photo will look more appetizing. I'm thinking a garnish and a better platter, etc. Sorry.