Provençal Chicken Breasts w/ Herb-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 40 mins Medium Serves: 2

Description

You will think you are dining in the south of France when you taste these luscious chicken breasts! The secret to the pan sauce is in the true herbes de Provence, fragrant w/ dried culinary lavender. Add tangy large crumbs of real Roquefort. œ¥ Voilà!

Ingredients

3/4 lbs cherry tomatoes (or other small tomatoes on the vine)
5 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp herbes de Provence (I used Purple Haze Lavender Farms)
sea salt
cracked peppercorns
1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2-3 skinless, boneless thinly-sliced chicken breasts
Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
1 small shallot, minced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp freshly snipped flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves
2 tbsp freshly snipped tarragon leaves
Small chunk Roquefort cheese (Trader Joe’s - $9.99/lb)
1 c cooked cappelletti (or other short cut pasta), al dente
[Reserve 1/4 c hot pasta water]

Method

Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice cherry tomatoes in half. Combine tomatoes, 2 tbsp oil, and herbes de Provence in a small casserole. Season w/ sea salt, cracked pepper; toss to coat. Roast until slightly dark - about 15 mins.

Remove from oven - drizzle with Worcestershire sauce in pan. Let sit.

Cook pasta al dente. Set aside w/ 1/4 c hot pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp butter in saute pan over medium-high heat. Rinse chicken breasts under water. Shake off excess water and dredge chicken breasts in bread crumbs. (I actually poured bread crumbs into ziploc bag, added damp breasts one at a time, then seal + shake.)

Brown chicken breasts on one side until golden brown, turn. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to hot pan. Finish other side to a nice crispy golden brown. Transfer chicken to a cutting board - let rest for at least 5 minutes.

Add remaining butter to same skillet; heat over medium heat. Add shallot, sea salt, cracked pepper. Caramelize, stirring only a few times, about 2 mins or so until golden brown.

Deglaze pan w/ red wine vinegar, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan w/ wooden spoon; add herbed tomatoes and their juices. Simmer until sauce is just beginning to thicken, about 1 minute. Stir in cream cheese, adding pasta water to desired sauce consistency. Turn off heat.

Slice chicken in thin strips diagonally; divide among plates. Crumble Roquefort over warm chicken breasts. Place pasta next to chicken. Spoon herbed tomatoes + sauce over pasta, as well as, half of chicken breasts.

Garnish w/ snipped tarragon, Italian parsley.

(So incredible.)

Enjoy with someone you love ..

Bon appetit!