Sunday, August 3, 2014

PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE ~ MARX FOOD CHALLENGE

I ran across a MARX foods Recipe challenge - what fun!  I signed up and they sent me a box full of yumminess.  My box included tri-color couscous, coconut sugar, dehydrated lobster mushrooms, DeArbol chilies and Pasilla Negro Chilies.
The rules are that I had to use at least two ingredients from my box to create a new recipe.  I really wanted to try and use all five ingredients, but was only able to work in four of them.

Now for full disclosure. hubby hates mushrooms, especially cooked mushrooms.  He goes out of his way to avoid mushrooms.  He declared he would hate this recipe before its inception.  Seeing a pattern here?  I HAD to use the mushrooms just to prove him wrong, plus I LOVE mushrooms even more than he hates them.  This recipe is proof that you can mount your dislikes and change them with the right combination of ingredients.
PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE
2 pound chicken tenders
3/4 cup chardonnay
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons MARX coconut sugar
1 dried MARX Pasilla Negro Chilie, chopped
safflower oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
5-7 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Whisk together the chardonnay and chicken broth until well blended.
  • In a medium bowl combine mushroom pieces and chile pieces.  Pour the chardonnay mixture over the mushroom mixture.  Allow to set for 2-3 hours to rehydrate the mushrooms and chilies.  Stir them around every now and then so all surfaces are able to absorb the liquid.
  • When ready, drain mushrooms and chiles through a sieve, reserving the liquid.
  • Whisk coconut sugar into reserved liquid.  Set aside.
  • In a small food processor pulse mushroom and chile pieces into a fine grind.
  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.
  • Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until roux is a golden brown.
  • Gradually add the reserved liquid until well blended.
  • Add in the mushroom and chile pieces, stirring until well distributed.
  • Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
  • Simmer gently while preparing couscous and chicken.
  • Coat a large skillet with safflower oil.
  • While oil is heating, wash and pat dry chicken pieces.
  • Pan sear chicken pieces, salt and peppering as needed until golden outside and cooked through.
  • Pour 1 cup of couscous in a large bowl.  Pour 1 ¼ cups boiling water over top.  Cover the bowl and let it sit for five minutes, then fluff with a fork to separate the granules. 
  • Plate couscous in the in the center of serving platter.
  • Arrange chicken pieces around the couscous.
  • Spoon sauce over couscous and chicken.
  • Serve immediately.
By the way, hubby who was so dead sure this recipe would suck gave it 2 thumbs up and then proceeded to eat it 2 nights in a row.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave your ingredients for this recipe we call life!