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Chicken Medallions with Fresh Herbs and Lemon – Chicken as a Side Dish
My grand kids, especially
the boys, like chicken in small pieces, seasoned, which they can pile onto
sandwiches, sprinkle on their pasta, or eat with rice. Here’s one I developed
out of two Italian dishes I've enjoyed, in which seasoned chicken is sautéed
and served nearly dry. The inspirations were both from Tuscany, pollo al limone
(chicken with lemon) and pollo alle erbe (chicken sautéed with fresh herbs).
Because my grandsons, like
many adolescents, do not like bits of green “stuff” in their food, I’ve kept
the fresh herb sprigs intact during the marinating and roasting so they and
fallen-off leaves can easily be removed for the benefit of young eaters.
The recipe is based on one
pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, but it can easily be increased
depending on how many diners you have who eat chicken. Leftovers are useful.
For every pound of
skinless, boneless chicken
5 sprigs of a mixture of
various fresh herbs (rosemary, marjoram, oregano, sage, parsley, chives)
(If only parsley available, add 1/4 teaspoon
dry oregano)
1 small clove garlic put
through a press or finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon
juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh herb sprigs for
garnish
Trim fat and any tough
parts off the chicken. Cut into pieces 1 1/2 inches long by 1/2 inch by 1/2
inch.
In a bowl, combine the
remainder of the ingredients, with sprigs of herbs intact. Mix well so that
herbs start to macerate and soften. Stir in the chicken. Marinate for at least
an hour, stirring frequently, so that the chicken gets exposed to a variety of
herbs.
Set oven for 375 degrees.
Spread chicken (and herbs) out on a large baking pan so there’s a little space
between pieces.
Roast for 8 minutes. With
a spatula, stir and turn the chicken pieces so they don’t stick together. Roast
another 6 minutes, and stir again. The chicken should be cooked. Cut a larger
piece in half to be sure the pink color is gone. If still pink in the middle,
roast 3 more minutes. Let chicken cool. Pour off any juices. Discard the cooked
herbs.
Place on a serving
platter. Garnish with several sprigs of fresh herbs. Serve warm or at room
temperature.
