Chicken Almondine

       A family favorite, chicken almondine is a recipe for the almond lover!  The coating is encrusted with those lovely little gems of a nut, sliced, and a few more added just to be sure there are enough!
      We all know how to bread chicken or veal or fish or liver - there is the traditional way, where you dip your meat product into flour, then into eggs, then into bread crumb mixtures.  One has to line up a station for the breading process and leave 3 dirty bowls and a messy counter to deal with after - but it is worth the final product.  However this recipe takes us on a shortcut to breaded heaven and one that makes the chicken more tender in the process.  The chicken breasts are marinated in a batter of flour, milk and eggs, with a touch of lemon zest to perk them up and then dredged in a mixture of breadcrumbs with the sliced almonds and crushed tarragon all at one time.  Then into the the skillet they go to fry until golden on each side.
      A lovely dish for family or company, it is always a crowd pleaser.  The creamy sauce with the piquant addition of the wine and lemon juice makes it a cousin of some sort to Chicken Picata.  

Chicken Almondine

8 chicken breasts, skinned and boned

3 eggs

1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tsps. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3 cups dried bread crumbs

2 cups sliced almonds

½ tsp. tarragon, crushed

8 tab. (1/2 cup) butter

4 tab. salad oil
1 tomato, skinned and sliced, julienne style
3 green onions & green tops, sliced into 
              1/2 inch pieces 

2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine

2 tab. lemon juice
1 cup cream or half and half, at room temperature

3 tab. minced parsley

lemon wedges for garnish

parsley for garnish
4 cups steamed white rice

      -Using the bottom of a small saucepan, slightly flatten chicken breast between 2 sheets of waxed paper.  (If breasts are large and thick, slice them
horizontally, in which case you do not need to flatten them.)  Set aisde.

      -For batter:  In a blender combine eggs, flour, milk, lemon peel, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Place chicken in large shallow dish and pour batter over chicken.  Stir until chicken is completely coated.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

    -Combine bread crumbs (Panko preferred), almonds, remaining teasoon of salt and tarragon on a large tray or pan.  Remove chicken from batter, one piece at a time and coat evenly in bread crumb mixture on both sides.  Set aside on waxed paper in single layer.

    -In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until foamy.  Add 4 chicken breasts and saute 5 minutes on each side, over meium high heat, turning once.  Remove and set in oven proof dish then place in oven set to 300 degrees to continue cooking so meat is cooked through.  Continue the same process, adding 2 more tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil to the saute pan.   As breasts are sauted until golden, add them to the others in the pan in the oven.

     -Remove any burnt bits of almond or coating from the saute pan.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onions and tomato about 5 minutes, until soft.  Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of  flour and stir to incorporate.  Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice and heat to a simmer, reducing liquid for about 5-8 minutes.  Pour in cream and remaining 2 tablespoon of butter. Sitr and heat until mixture is thickened and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.

    -Pile rice in center of a large serving platter.  Pour half the sauce over the rice.  Place chicken breasts on top of rice and pour remaining sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with additional parsley and toasted almonds.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8.

                 Marinate chicken in batter.

                                       Coat chicken breasts in breadcrumb/almond mixture.

                                                                            Saute chicken breasts in buter and oil until golden.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**For garnish, I like to use aboout 1/2 cup whole, skinned almonds, friend until golden in a bit
    of butter.

**They grow those birds large these days!  Depending on the size of the breasts, you can cut 
    them in half, horizontally, which provides 1 serving (4 oz.).  That way you don't have to 
    flatten the meat and you can get by with 4 large chicken breasts, instead of 8 as indicated in 
    the recipe.