Easy, Yet Elegant

This is a wonderful dish created by our longtime friend Andy Druetzler and his amazing lady Kathleen Marie. For ease of serving, they advise us to prepare the potatoes first, then the caramelized shallots, and finally the baked chicken. Reheat the potatoes and shallots in the oven for the last 10 minutes you bake the chicken.

These young people know how to eat well. This meal is sheer bliss!

Chubby Chicken
Caramelized Shallots
Roasted Potatoes
White Wine – Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio

Chubby Chicken

4 medium chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 large egg
2 tbsp. water
1 cup flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
¾ tsp. cumin
4 strips bacon, possibly more if the breasts are large
1 red pepper, seeded, sliced into strips
olive oil

Rinse chicken and pat dry.

Mix together egg and water in a bowl. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic, cumin in a paper bag. Line a plate with wax or parchment paper.

Bread the chicken by dipping a breast in the egg mixture. Immediately drop the breast into the paper bag and gently shake to coat it. Remove the breast and lay on the plate. Do this with each breast. Wrap the bacon around the individual chicken pieces and secure with a toothpick or small skewer.

Top with red pepper and a slight drizzle of olive oil. Refrigerate chicken for at least one hour before baking. This allows the breading to dry a bit and adhere to the meat.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Swirl oil in an ovenproof dish to coat bottom and sides. Carefully set chicken on dish so as not to disturb peppers and bacon. Bake for 30 minutes.

To serve, place chicken on a serving platter, then top with the caramelized shallots.

Roasted Potatoes

3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 tsp. Kosher salt
2 lbs. potatoes quartered, but not peeled
1 tsp. dried thyme or 6 sprigs fresh
1 tsp. dried rosemary or 3 springs fresh

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, salt, thyme, and vinegar.

Place the potatoes in a large plastic bag. Pour the mixture over them and gently shake the bag to coat evenly.

Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining mixture over them.

Bake until potatoes are tender and slightly browned, about 50 minutes.

Caramelized Shallots

Photo by SOMMAI

6 tbsp. butter
8-12 shallots, peeled, sliced thin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat.

Add shallots and sugar and stir to coat well. Cook until the shallots start to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to let this mixture burn.

Turn off the heat and stir in vinegar and pepper.

Set the pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the shallots are tender.

I'll be back Monday with S.G. Rogers. Until then...

May you enjoy all the days of your life around a well laden table!

Sloane Taylor
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