Mediterranean Fusion Chicken

The inspiration for this recipe came from the deep love I have for Mediterranean cuisine. Often people think of Greek style cooking when they think about Mediterranean cuisine but its far more varied than that and includes Northern African cuisine, from beautiful Moroccan Couscous Royale to Tunisian tagines. And of course, the Mediterranean sea embraces the coast along the south of France, and with this in mind, I wanted to create a recipe that fused the flavours of southern France with those of northern Africa. The combination of saffron, curcuma & cream may surprise you, but I can tell you that it works! Try it and enjoy this delicious dish with rice, fresh potato mash or pasta.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 tbsp flour

2 tbsp olive oil

40cl heavy cream

1gr saffron filaments

1 tsp curcuma

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 yellow tomatoes, blanched, peeled & chopped

25cl chicken stock

Parsley, finely chopped, to serve

S&P

Instructions:

Place the cream, saffron & curcuma in a small pot over low heat. Stir regularly until gently simmering & allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the cream with the spices. Set aside.

Place the flour in a bowl & season with salt & pepper.

Roll each chicken breast in the flour to coat well on all sides.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

Fry the chicken breasts 5 minutes on each side & then set aside.

Add the shallots & garlic to the pan. Lower the heat to low & fry for 3 minutes until the onions have softened.

Add the tomatoes & fry a further 3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock & infused cream.

Bring the sauce to a simmer & return the chicken to the pan.

Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken breasts are cooked through, turning them over midway.

Check the seasoning & add salt or pepper if needed. Serve with a scattering of fresh parsley.