Classic dish gets poultry makeover
This is an easy, scaled-down version of the traditional Italian recipe, Vitello Tonnato (Veal in Tuna Sauce), using sauteed chicken instead of veal. It is a perfect dish to serve hot or cold.
The accompanying mayonnaise sauce has tangy flavors of capers, anchovies and tuna. The original recipe calls for fresh mayonnaise, which takes time and must be made in advance. This shortcut uses bottled mayonnaise and yogurt. The sauce is so quick and easy, you can double the recipe and use the leftovers the next day over pasta or rice.
The chicken and sauce are served on a bed of red peppers and beans, making this a quick one-dish dinner. Warm a loaf of Italian bread -- plain or with garlic and butter -- and toss a green salad to complete the meal.
Note: Great northern or navy beans can be used instead of cannellini beans.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees to warm bread. Saute chicken, peppers and beans. While chicken cooks, make tuna sauce. (see below)
This rich dish would go nicely with a rich, dry, white semillon, or, for contrast a crisp, red Chianti.
Pollo Tonnato (Chicken in Tuna Sauce)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided use
2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced (2 cups)
1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 loaf Italian bread
2 anchovy fillets
1/4 cup water-packed white meat tuna, drained
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
4 pitted black olives, cut in half
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees for bread. Heat a large nonstick skillet on high. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add chicken breasts and brown 2 minutes, turn and brown the other side 2 minutes. Salt and pepper the cooked side.
2. Lower heat to medium high, push chicken to one side and add 2 remaining teaspoons olive oil. Add red pepper, beans and garlic. Saute 5 minutes, tossing beans and peppers together. A meat thermometer should read 170 degrees.
3. Place bread in oven to warm. While chicken cooks, rinse anchovy fillets and place in the bowl of a food processor with tuna, mayonnaise and yogurt. Process until smooth. Add water and process to blend.
4. To serve, spoon the beans and peppers on individual plates and place the chicken on top. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle the capers and olives on top.
B-man
