If you’re in need of comfort food this evening, try your hand at cooking Chef Lisa Dahl’s sumptuous homemade chicken dish. “The Pollo alla Rustica is a Mediterranean-inspired lemony garlic chicken dish with notes of subtle curry and rosemary,” says the the Sedona restaurant owner and executive toque at Mariposa, Butterfly Couture Burger, Pisa Lisa and Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante. “I love it because, depending on the accompaniment, it can be a seasonal, anytime-of-the-year comfort food for chicken lovers like me. In Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, I serve this with lemon au jus over roasted potatoes and charred sweet corn, finished with a rustic half lemon to squeeze upon serving to enjoy every juicy bite.”
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken breasts (lightly pounded)
½ medium red onion
Scant tsp. minced garlic
4 oz. washed spinach leaves
½ cup of white wine
½ cup of marinara (as featured in the Elixir of Life, cookbook pg. 156)
¼ cup of heavy cream
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup goat cheese
½ tsp chipotle paste (Can always add more later)
¼ cup flour for dusting chicken
Kosher or Sea Salt & pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by dusting both sides of chicken breasts in flour, shake off excess and set aside.
Heat medium skillet on medium high flame and add oil. When hot, carefully add each chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Allow to turn pale golden before turning. When all are turned, add onion slices around the chicken and continue sautéing until onion is translucent. Add garlic in same fashion and prevent from over browning by repeating to turn breasts till evenly golden throughout.
Deglaze pan with wine and reduce by half. Add chipotle paste, marinara and cream, turning to incorporate sauce then sprinkle spinach loosely over dish and again turn chicken to incorporate the spinach.
At this point the flame is med-high and chicken broth is poured over the dish and covered for 2-3 minutes to impart the simmered flavors of the sauce and wilt the spinach. To finish the dish before serving, crumble goat cheese evenly over the top, turn heat off and cover till serving.
Toss in pan with penne (or pasta of your choice) or serve with mashed potatoes, with sauce as gravy.