Orange-Tarragon Chicken Breast with Asparagus-Almond Rice

Post date: Feb 15, 2009 12:41:53 AM

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007

Serves: 2

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, divided

2 chicken breasts - boneless but with skin on

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

4 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves finely chopped

3 tablespoons slivered almonds

1 cup rice

2 cups chicken stock

1 small bunch asparagus

Directions

Rub a skillet with 1 tablespoon butter. Lightly score chicken breaks through skin, but not the flesh, in a cross-hatch pattern. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in cold pan skin side down and turn heat on to medium-medium high. Cook until crispy, 15 minutes, turn. Drain off some of the fat and discard. Mix marmalade with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and tarragon, salt and pepper, reserve. Once you flip the chicken, pour the marmalade sauce over top and reduce heat. Loosely cover pan and let the chicken hang out a couple of minutes more.

While chicken cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pot and toast nuts 2 minutes, add rice and toast 1 minute more. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes. Trim asparagus stalk ends then slice remainder thinly on the bias. Add to rice and cook rice 2 to 3 minutes more for a total of 17 to 18 minutes.

Serve chicken breast alongside asparagus-almond rice.