Chef/Owner Brian Kingsford, Bacaro, Providence
We get spring fever at Bacaro and when April arrives our minds start thinking about leafy greens, one of the first signs of spring (besides rhubarb) to arrive from local producers. The typically southern Italian term agrodolce, meaning sweet and sour, is exemplified here with tart fresh lemon juice and sweet golden raisins and honey. The nuttiness of the pignolis, the saltiness of the feta and a refreshing hint of mint add up to a delicious salad (the focal point of this dish) to go with fish or this tasty, yet simple, lemon chicken.
Ingredients
- 4 single bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
- ¾ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups mixed baby kale and spring spinach, trimmed, washed and dried
- ½ cup toasted pignolis (pine nuts)
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves cut in thin chiffonade
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup uncooked red or white quinoa, prepared according to package directions, and cooled
- 1 cup Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette (see below)*
- ⅓ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons local honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice into the olive oil. Whisk in the honey. Season with salt, taste and set aside.
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken breasts into the pan, skin side down to brown. (Or do in batches so you don’t crowd the chicken, which prevents the skin from browning.)
Once the chicken skin is nicely browned, flip the chicken pieces, add the stock and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, place the chicken into the oven. Roast uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
While the chicken is roasting, prepare the salad by tossing the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Remove the chicken from oven. Place chicken on a warm platter and cover loosely with foil. Place the pan with the liquid back onto the stove. Add butter and reduce the sauce over medium-high heat until thickened. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the chicken among 4 large, warm dinner plates. Toss the salad with the Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette and place next to the chicken. Drizzle the reduced sauce over the top of the chicken. Enjoy!
About this recipe
WINE PAIRING: Tami Bianco, Sicily, Italy—We love wines from Italian winemaker Arianna Occhipinti! This is her entry-level white wine under her Tami label made from 100% Grillo grapes. Her vineyard in Sicily is near the active volcano Mount Etna, and thus makes for a unique terroir. This dry and aromatic white has flavors of mandarins, almonds and pineapples and will be terrific with this Italian recipe.
—Kate Miceli, Bottles Fine Wine, Providence
