Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Cream

Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Cream.

January 9, 2012

Want to know how to make one heck of a delicious chicken dish?

Good. Because I was going to tell you anyway.

First up.

Chop up some jalapenos and other good stuff. Saute them in a little butter. Don’t stick your face over the pot. That is… unless you want to feel what it’s like for your entire head to burst into flames.

Caramelize some chicken. Yesss…. caramelize it. No secret over here that I like to caramelize, well… everything. I want to caramelize my life.

Then that whole jalapeno saute thing? Turn it into a creamy sauce. A fairly lighter creamy sauce, that is. Yep yep yep. It can be done.

Dump that sauce all over the CARAMELIZED chicken.

Mmmm. Let’s say it again. Caramelize.

Comfort food at it’s finest!

Isn’t that what life is all about? At least mine is.

And don’t worry about this meal being super spicy because frankly – it’s not. Not at all. The jalapenos are seeded and you simply get a touch of heat at the end of each bite. Just a leeeetle tiny bit. The flavor just about punches you in face though, so uh… watch out for that.

Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Cream

serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 shallot, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour (any kind will do, I used whole wheat)

1/4 cup low-fat or skim milk

1 12-ounce can fat-free evaporated milk

2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

Add chopped jalapenos, shallots and garlic to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped (not pureed). Set aside.

Tenderize chicken breasts if desired and pat completely dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken breasts (make sure they are COMPLETELY DRY) and cook for about 8-10 minutes per side, until each side is caramelized and golden. If needed, use the remaining canola oil when flipping the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Once sizzling, add in the chopped jalapeno mixture, stirring to coat, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once fragrant (do NOT put your face directly over the jalapenos!), whisk in flour and stir continuously to create a roux. Cook mixture for 1-2 minutes, then add in milks, reducing the heat to medium-low. Continue to stir continuously until mixture begins to thicken (about 6-8 minutes), adding in parmesan cheese and reducing the heat even more. Once the desired thickness has been reached, turn off heat. Stir every so often – it may thicken even more while sitting – and you can add additional milk to thin it out if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve chicken over rice, vegetables or pasta and top with jalapeno cream. This reheated beautifully for us!

Note: I got the idea to try out evaporated milk from Pam’s recent video post!