Cornbread Crusted Chicken

[Vicious88]

I've had this once before, and I have to say that I was impressed. Normally I hate the taste of cornbread, but this was really good and worth looking into.

Total Prep Time: 60 Minutes (1 hour for those of you who are bad with math and probably shouldn't be trying to cook something like this).

Ingredients: *Some items are duplicated incase you're marking off as you go along with the directions*
• 2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1-1/2 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1-1/2 cups cornbread crumbs (about 8 mini muffins)
• 2 tablespoons finely diced pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
• 10 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons light butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to broil. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

To make the sauce, cut the peppers in small pieces and place in a blender. Turn the blender on/off to chop. Coat a small skillet with a vegetable spray and sauté the garlic and shallots a few minutes to soften, then add white wine and lemon. Blend with peppers until smooth. Add chicken broth and cornstarch and blend again.

Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce is not smooth, blend again.

Combine the cornbread crumbs with pecans. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and parsley over the top and toss with two forks to disperse seasoning evenly.

Coat a baking dish with a vegetable spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place in the dish. Put about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the topping on each one. Melt the butter in the chicken broth and moisten the crumb topping with about 2 teaspoons liquid. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Broil for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Change the oven setting to bake and set the temperature at 350°. Pour the broth, wine, and lemon juice in the baking pan and bake an additional 6 to 7 minutes.

To serve, pool the plate with the sauce and serve two breasts per person. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.

Cornbread Crusted Catfish: Position the baking pan one rack closer to the element. Broil for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, then change the setting to bake (350°) and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with Spicy Tartar Sauce (p. 115) or Grilled Corn Salsa (p. 25).
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

[Vicious88]

I've had this once before, and I have to say that I was impressed. Normally I hate the taste of cornbread, but this was really good and worth looking into.

Total Prep Time: 60 Minutes (1 hour for those of you who are bad with math and probably shouldn't be trying to cook something like this).

Ingredients: *Some items are duplicated incase you're marking off as you go along with the directions*
• 2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1-1/2 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1-1/2 cups cornbread crumbs (about 8 mini muffins)
• 2 tablespoons finely diced pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
• 10 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons light butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to broil. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

To make the sauce, cut the peppers in small pieces and place in a blender. Turn the blender on/off to chop. Coat a small skillet with a vegetable spray and sauté the garlic and shallots a few minutes to soften, then add white wine and lemon. Blend with peppers until smooth. Add chicken broth and cornstarch and blend again.

Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce is not smooth, blend again.

Combine the cornbread crumbs with pecans. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and parsley over the top and toss with two forks to disperse seasoning evenly.

Coat a baking dish with a vegetable spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place in the dish. Put about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the topping on each one. Melt the butter in the chicken broth and moisten the crumb topping with about 2 teaspoons liquid. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Broil for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Change the oven setting to bake and set the temperature at 350°. Pour the broth, wine, and lemon juice in the baking pan and bake an additional 6 to 7 minutes.

To serve, pool the plate with the sauce and serve two breasts per person. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.

Cornbread Crusted Catfish: Position the baking pan one rack closer to the element. Broil for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, then change the setting to bake (350°) and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with Spicy Tartar Sauce (p. 115) or Grilled Corn Salsa (p. 25).
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...