recipe: chicken & avo

This is one of those recipes I don't bother to be humble about. It's awesome. Bottom line. It's not overly difficult, and most of the ingredients are things you should already have lying around. If you don't already have avocados lying around, you're missing out. But that's a different post.

You will need: 1 ripe avocado, lemon juice, 2-3 whole chicken breasts (if you've ever seen my husband eat, you'll know why I made 3), salt & pepper, olive oil, butter, vermouth or white wine, heavy cream.

This recipe originally calls for veal, but as baby cows have a special place in my heart, veal isn't something I keep in the house. Chickens, however, are not so lucky. Feel free to use veal cutlets though, if you don't have a soul. 

Now, I know I said "heavy cream", but as we had a zombie-apocalypse level power outage in our area, I did the best I could with the half and half my mother-in-law gave me. 

Commercial break: Buy a bottle of vermouth. Trust me. I know someone who uses white wine (ahem, Mother) and it just isn't the same. I promise, it is worth it. Even if you only ever use vermouth for this recipe, which is a pretty good chance since, let's be honest: vermouth is only good when it's heated and mixed with cream.

Step one: Cut the avo in half and remove the pit. Sprinkle lemon juice to slow the browning.

Step two: Slice your chicken breasts VERY thin. This part is a pain, but super important. Since veal cutlets are super thin, the chicken should be as well so it cooks quickly. Each of my chicken breasts gets sliced  horizontally into 3 thin pieces. It is best to do this when they are still slightly frozen; waay easier to handle.

Step three: Heat about 2 TBS olive oil and a bunch of butter in a skillet. A bunch: the only way butter should be measured. Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

 

Step four: Cut grapes for your helper. Tell him to say please and thank you.

Step five: Add chicken to skillet and cook on each side for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through. This is why it's important to have thin pieces. You have better things t do than to wait 15 for a thick piece of chicken to cook. Remove cooked chicken onto a platter.

Step six: Add 1/4 cup vermouth to the pan, using a spatula to deglaze. Add in 3-4 TBS cream and stir. Turn down the heat and let the mixture cook for a few minutes. Make sure you let it cook for at least 4 minutes, or you will be tasting the alcohol in the vermouth. Not what you're going for, cross my heart.

 I ALWAYS double the sauce recipe, but hey, we're dippers. I gave you the original amounts to be fair. Decisions, Decisions. 

Step seven: While the sauce is bubbling, grab your avo halves and a spoon. Gently scoop between the rind and the soft green meat, separating the two all the way around. Once the center is free, turn the whole avo half upside down on a cutting board, then take off the rind. This is the easiest way to slice an avo. Now you can cut it in long strips. Arrange those strips on the chicken breasts.

 Step eight: Pour your sauce over the chicken and avocado. Wow your friends with your culinary masterpiece.

Good luck! Let me know what you think!