Neapolitan Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What I hoped would be a relatively easy day turned out not to be. It was obvious by mid-afternoon that the elaborate meal I had planned for dinner would never make it to the table. When that happens, I usually turn to my stash of chicken recipes and pull out one that is both fast and easy to make. It had been a while since we had the Neapolitan chicken that I'm featuring tonight. The Silver Fox and I love its strong flavors, but those of you feeding young children will find this dish to be a hard sell. They will complain about the capers and the olives and they will play and pick with their chicken rather than eat it. I learned that the hard way. I do hope you will give this recipe a try. It is evocative of Naples and I know those of you who enjoy Sicilian cooking will be pleased with the results. The sauce, due to the presence of both olives and capers, is by nature salty, so please be careful when you make final adjusts to the sauce. Here is how my version of Neapolitan chicken is made.


Neapolitan Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 to 6 (6-oz.) boneless chicken breast fillets
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour, divided use
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion or shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Cooked pasta

Directions:
1) Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in 1/4 cup flour.
2) Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan.
3) Add onions and saute until limp and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and saute until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
4) Stir remaining 2 tablespoons flour into pan and cook, stirring, until evenly distributed.
5) Add olives, capers, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, wine, broth and sugar to pan. Cook, stirring, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and return chicken to pan, Simmer covered, for 15 minutes, turning once.
6) Meanwhile cook pasta per package instruction.
7) Place chicken fillets on a bed of pasta. Spoon sauce over breasts. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

                    

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