13 Sep 2016 Pan Seared Honey-Orange Dark Meat Chicken Cutlets

As we prepare our menus for Rosh HaShanah, here is a delicious chicken recipe which incorporates the siman of honey, שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה, would that we be blessed with a sweet new year! 

The dish is easy to prepare and uses fresh and healthy ingredients.  It will serve as a lovely – and delicious – addition to your Yom Tov table.

Pan Seared Orange-Honey Dark Meat Chicken Cutlets

3 lb. (or so) de-boned dark meat chicken cutlets

Juice and pulp from 2 navel oranges (about 2/3 c. fresh orange juice)

1 large shallot

2 cloves of garlic (or 2 cubes frozen garlic)

½ c. fresh parsley (checked)

¼ c. light olive oil

¼ c. honey

Dash ground black pepper

Dash salt

Oil for pan searing

Place the chicken cutlets into a large bowl or large Ziploc bag.  Place the next eight ingredients into the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the metal S-shaped blade.  Process for a minute or two, until all the ingredients are incorporated and chopped.  Pour the marinade over the cutlets and toss the chicken to coat.  (Alternately, you can mix the marinade ingredients by hand, making sure to chop the shallot very finely and press the garlic, if using whole cloves).  Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for 2 to 3 hours. 

In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat 1-2 Tbsp. oil.  When the oil is hot, add chicken cutlets to the pan.  Fry the cutlets over medium-high heat on one side for about 7-10 minutes.  Turn the cutlets over and fry on the other side for about 8 more minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.  If the flame is too high and the cutlets are browning too quickly, lower the flame to medium. 

Remove the cutlets from the pan and transfer them to a serving platter or other dish.  Using a heat-proof spatula, scrape all the pan drippings out of the pan onto the chicken.  Heat another 1-2 Tbsp. of oil in the now-empty pan and add another batch of cutlets, following the cooking instructions above.  Continue until all the cutlets are pan seared. 

Note:

*You can use white meat cutlets as well, if you prefer, keeping in mind the finished product will be somewhat less moist than the dark meat chicken.  Adjust cooking time accordingly for white meat cutlets, especially if they are thinly cut.

*The chicken can be prepared in advance and frozen, raw, in the marinade.  Wrap well in a foil pan and/or a large resealable bag.  When desired, defrost and proceed with cooking instructions.

*This marinade would be delicious as a sauce for bone-in, baked chicken. 

בתאבון!