Chicken Canzanese

We served this with the polenta recipe below to absorb extra sauce, but potatoes or couscous could work too.

Ingredients

1	tablespoon olive oil
2	ounces thick cut bacon or proscuitto (1/4 inch thick), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
6	garlic cloves , sliced thin lengthwise
8	chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and skin
2	teaspoons all-purpose flour
2	cups dry white wine
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth
4	whole cloves
2	sprigs fresh rosemary (we threw it in whole, but we could try mincing it too)
12	fresh sage leaves
3	bay leaves
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	tablespoon lemon juice
2	tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Instructions:

   1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden brown, about 1½ minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic and prosciutto to small bowl and set aside.

2. 2. Increase heat to medium-high; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with ground black pepper. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.

3. 3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add wine and broth; bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 3 minutes. Stir in cloves, rosemary stem, sage leaves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and reserved prosciutto and garlic. Nestle chicken into liquid, skin side up (skin should be above surface of liquid), and bake, uncovered, until meat offers no resistance when poked with fork but is not falling off bones, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Check chicken after 15 minutes; broth should be barely bubbling. If bubbling vigorously, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.)

4. 4. Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Remove and discard sage leaves, rosemary stem, cloves, and bay leaves. Place skillet over high heat and bring sauce to boil. Cook until sauce is reduced to 1¼ cups, 2 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in minced rosemary, lemon juice, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve.

   
   

   Tasty! Tender chicken, a slight spicy bite, and just delicious with Alton Brown's polenta.

Tomatillos with With Chicken and Squash

1 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast (6 to 8 ounces), fried and shredded

1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

3 serrano chilies

1/2 cup chopped onion, soaked for five minutes in cold water, then drained

5 large garlic cloves, peeled

12 cilantro sprigs, plus additional chopped cilantro for garnish

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 medium summer squash, diced (we used zucchini this time)

8 corn tortillas, toasted in a microwave or in an oven and broken into small pieces

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

1. Fry the chicken and shred

2. Bring the tomatillos to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Drain and place in a blender. Add the chilies, chopped onion, garlic, salt and cilantro sprigs. Blend until smooth.

3. Heat the oil in the skillet you fried the chicken in, over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a drop of oil to test the heat. If it sizzles and sputters immediately, the oil is hot enough. Add the tomatillo purée and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to the pan, about five minutes. When you run your spoon down the middle of the pan it should leave a canal. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the summer squash and simmer, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. The sauce should coat the front and back of your spoon. Stir in the chicken and heat through. Adjust seasoning. Just before serving bring to a simmer and stir in the tortilla chips. Garnish with the cheese, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves four.