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Most of the time when I watch Lidia Bastianich on public television, the recipes she prepares makes me want to go out and try them. This happened again last weekend when Lidia was making Chicken with Pomegranate. Unfortunately, my online search for her recipe didn’t yield any results. However, I was able to find the video episode and by stopping and starting, I was able to come close to the exact measurements she used to produce the sauce for this dish. Lidia started by using a butterflied (also known as spatchcock) whole chicken that was cut in half. The chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper and placed in a large oven going frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. As it’s just my husband and I, I purchased a package of bone-in split (approximately 2 pounds) chicken breasts.
The chicken is sautéed until the skin is caramelized. As the chicken is caramelizing, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Next, place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes. While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce. You’ll need one cup of pomegranate juice. I was able to locate a small bottle of Pom Wonderful at Shop-Rite (2/$5). You’ll also need one cup of chicken stock and 1/4 cup each of brandy and Grand Marnier. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and add the liquids to the pan. Add several sprigs or so of fresh rosemary and 2-3 tablespoons of butter that has been cubed into small pieces. Baste the chicken with the liquids and return the pan to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. Baste the chicken several more times. When you remove the chicken from the oven, remember to cover the handle so as to prevent someone from touching and getting burned from the hot pan handle. I baked my chicken just shy of 30 minutes and about 3/4 of the way through reduced the oven temperature to 375 degrees. The chicken came out succulent, flavorful and tender. The sauce was light and enhanced the chicken. Instead of discarding the sauce, I saved it so that I can use for another batch of chicken in the future. Overall, another successful new recipe. Give it a try, your family will be impressed with your results. |
