Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
5 ½ tablespoons of butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons butter, divided
2½ tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup peeled, thinly sliced and rings carefully separated shallot
1/3 cup minced hazelnuts
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon salt + salt and pepper to taste
8 chicken breast fillets (tenders) or 3 large chicken breast halves, skinned and deboned
Butter for coating the bottom of the casserole dishes
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 red bell peppers
Garnishes:
Hungarian paprika
Parsley, chopped
Lemon wedges
Directions:
Bring a 3 quart saucepan, filled halfway up with
cold water, to a boil.
Wash the red bell peppers. Cut in half. Destem, deseed, and remove septums from the bell peppers.
Add red bell pepper halves to the boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes.
Remove red bell pepper halves from water. Discard
water.
When red pepper halves are cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to peel the skin off.
Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips, lengthwise, cover, and chill until ready to plate.
Heat a small frying pan. Add 1 teaspoon butter. When
the butter melts, add the shallot rings and toss.
Saute until rings are soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Cut each breast into 3 pieces. Place the side that was next to the skin down and lightly pound the side that was next to the bone.
Turn chicken over and create a cavity by making a cut down the middle that does not go all the way through.
Repeat with the rest of the fillets.
Place half the chicken fillets in a bowl. Pour ½ of the
buttermilk over the chicken in the bowl.
Add the rest of the chicken. Pour the remainder of the
buttermilk over the chicken.
Cover and chill chicken overnight.
Place butter, parsley, shallots, hazelnuts, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Use a fork to mix thoroughly.
Chill butter mixture overnight.
Remove chicken from bowl and place in a strainer.
Rinse and drain.
Place 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture in each cavity.
Add any remaining butter as required.
Butter the bottom of two 4”x9’” oven-proof casseroles.
Place 4-5 chicken pieces in each casserole.
Chill until time to bake.
Preheat oven to 400 ° F.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Brush the top of the fillets with cream. Broil 3 minutes.
The fillets should be slightly golden.
Remove chicken from oven. Remove fillets from casserole dishes with a spatula, place on a baking sheet and tent.
Turn oven off and place baking sheet in warm oven.
Place butter sauce in the casserole dishes in a saucepan and reduce by half.
Place sauce in a gravy boat.
Add 1 teaspoon butter to frying pan. Saute red pepper
slices until warm.
Create a bed of warmed red pepper slices on platter.
Remove chicken fillets from baking sheet with a spatula.
Place fillets on top of red pepper slices.
Pour butter sauce over fillets.
Sprinkle lightly with paprika.
Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Serve immediately.