On a bed of soft polenta, elevated with a rich combination of butter, Italian-style hard cheese & crème fraîche, comes slices of golden pan-fried chicken. A creamy crushed green peppercorn, tarragon & brandy sauce is poured over, then garnished with toasted pine nuts. Sided with a simple salad of greens, tomatoes & cheese ribbons to balance the dish’s richness.
Green Peppercorn Sauce & Chicken
Green Peppercorn Sauce & Chicken
with tangy, creamy polenta
Hands on Time: 30 - 45 minutes
Overall Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- Baby Tomatoes
- Brandy
- Chicken
- Creme Fraiche
- Dried Tarragon
- Free-range Chicken Breast
- Free-range Chicken Breasts
- Green Leaves
- Green Peppercorns
- Italian-style Hard Cheese
- Lemon Juice
- Onion
- Pine Nuts
- Polenta
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Paper Towel
- Butter
- Milk (optional)
TOAST THE NUTS
Place the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
POLENTA
Bring a pot with 400ml of water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta until there are no lumps. Reduce the heat and cook until the polenta is soft and creamy, 5-8 minutes (whisking often). Remove the pot from the heat and stir through a knob of butter, the grated hard cheese, a ¼ of the creme fraiche, ½ the lemon juice (to taste), and seasoning. Loosen with a splash of warm water if necessary just before serving.
FRY THE CHICKEN
While the polenta is on the go, place a pan (with a lid) over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the chicken on one side until golden, 2-4 minutes. Flip, cover, and fry until cooked through, 2-4 minutes. During the final 1-2 minutes, baste the chicken with a knob of butter. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. Slice, season, and cover.
CREAMY SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the diced onion until soft 2-3 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the dried tarragon and the crushed peppercorns (to taste). Fry until fragrant. Add the brandy and simmer until almost evaporated. Deglaze with a splash of water and remove from the heat. Stir through the remaining crème fraîche and mix to combine. Loosen with water or milk in 10ml increments until saucy consistency and season.
SALAD
To a salad bowl, add the halved tomatoes, the rinsed green leaves, the cheese ribbons, the remaining lemon juice (to taste), and a drizzle of olive oil. Season and toss to combine.
DINNER IS SERVED
Make a bed of the creamy polenta, top with the chicken slices, drizzle over the creamy sauce, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts. Serve alongside the fresh salad. Well done, Chef!
Pine Nuts - 5g
Polenta - 100ml
Italian-style Hard Cheese - 40g
Crème Fraîche - 75ml
Lemon Juice - 30ml
Free-range Chicken Breast - 1
Onion - 1
Dried Tarragon - 2,5ml
Green Peppercorns - 5g
Brandy - 10ml
Baby Tomatoes - 80g
Green Leaves - 20g
TOAST THE NUTS
Place the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
POLENTA
Bring a pot with 800ml of water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta until there are no lumps. Reduce the heat and cook until the polenta is soft and creamy, 5-8 minutes (whisking often). Remove the pot from the heat and stir through a knob of butter, the grated hard cheese, a ¼ of the creme fraiche, ½ the lemon juice (to taste), and seasoning. Loosen with a splash of warm water if necessary just before serving.
FRY THE CHICKEN
While the polenta is on the go, place a pan (with a lid) over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the chicken on one side until golden, 2-4 minutes. Flip, cover, and fry until cooked through, 2-4 minutes. During the final 1-2 minutes, baste the chicken with a knob of butter. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. Slice, season, and cover.
CREAMY SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the diced onion until soft 2-3 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the dried tarragon and the crushed peppercorns (to taste). Fry until fragrant. Add the brandy and simmer until almost evaporated. Deglaze with a splash of water and remove from the heat. Stir through the remaining crème fraîche and mix to combine. Loosen with water or milk in 10ml increments until saucy consistency and season.
SALAD
To a salad bowl, add the halved tomatoes, the rinsed green leaves, the cheese ribbons, the remaining lemon juice (to taste), and a drizzle of olive oil. Season and toss to combine.
DINNER IS SERVED
Make a bed of the creamy polenta, top with the chicken slices, drizzle over the creamy sauce, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts. Serve alongside the fresh salad. Well done, Chef!
Pine Nuts - 10g
Polenta - 200ml
Italian-style Hard Cheese - 80g
Crème Fraîche - 150ml
Lemon Juice - 60ml
Free-range Chicken Breasts - 2
Onion - 1
Dried Tarragon - 5ml
Green Peppercorns - 10g
Brandy - 20ml
Baby Tomatoes - 160g
Green Leaves - 40g
TOAST THE NUTS
Place the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
POLENTA
Bring a pot with 1,2L of water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta until there are no lumps. Reduce the heat and cook until the polenta is soft and creamy, 8-10 minutes (whisking often). Remove the pot from the heat and stir through a knob of butter, the grated hard cheese, a ¼ of the creme fraiche, ½ the lemon juice (to taste), and seasoning. Loosen with a splash of warm water if necessary just before serving.
FRY THE CHICKEN
While the polenta is on the go, place a pan (with a lid) over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the chicken on one side until golden, 2-4 minutes. Flip, cover, and fry until cooked through, 2-4 minutes. During the final 1-2 minutes, baste the chicken with a knob of butter. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. Slice, season, and cover.
CREAMY SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the diced onion until soft 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the dried tarragon and the crushed peppercorns (to taste). Fry until fragrant. Add the brandy and simmer until almost evaporated. Deglaze with a splash of water and remove from the heat. Stir through the remaining crème fraîche and mix to combine. Loosen with water or milk in 10ml increments until saucy consistency and season.
SALAD
To a salad bowl, add the halved tomatoes, the rinsed green leaves, the cheese ribbons, the remaining lemon juice (to taste), and a drizzle of olive oil. Season and toss to combine.
DINNER IS SERVED
Make a bed of the creamy polenta, top with the chicken slices, drizzle over the creamy sauce, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts. Serve alongside the fresh salad. Well done, Chef!
Pine Nuts - 15g
Polenta - 300ml
Italian-style Hard Cheese - 120g
Crème Fraîche - 225ml
Lemon Juice - 90ml
Free-range Chicken Breasts - 3
Onion - 1
Dried Tarragon - 7,5ml
Green Peppercorns - 15g
Brandy - 30ml
Baby Tomatoes - 240g
Green Leaves - 60g
TOAST THE NUTS
Place the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 2-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
POLENTA
Bring a pot with 1,6L of water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta until there are no lumps. Reduce the heat and cook until the polenta is soft and creamy, 8-10 minutes (whisking often). Remove the pot from the heat and stir through a knob of butter, the grated hard cheese, a ¼ of the creme fraiche, ½ the lemon juice (to taste), and seasoning. Loosen with a splash of warm water if necessary just before serving.
FRY THE CHICKEN
While the polenta is on the go, place a pan (with a lid) over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. When hot, fry the chicken on one side until golden, 2-4 minutes. Flip, cover, and fry until cooked through, 2-4 minutes. During the final 1-2 minutes, baste the chicken with a knob of butter. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. Slice, season, and cover.
CREAMY SAUCE
Return the pan to medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, fry the diced onion until soft 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the dried tarragon and the crushed peppercorns (to taste). Fry until fragrant. Add the brandy and simmer until almost evaporated. Deglaze with a splash of water and remove from the heat. Stir through the remaining crème fraîche and mix to combine. Loosen with water or milk in 10ml increments until saucy consistency and season.
SALAD
To a salad bowl, add the halved tomatoes, the rinsed green leaves, the cheese ribbons, the remaining lemon juice (to taste), and a drizzle of olive oil. Season and toss to combine.
DINNER IS SERVED
Make a bed of the creamy polenta, top with the chicken slices, drizzle over the creamy sauce, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts. Serve alongside the fresh salad. Well done, Chef!
Pine Nuts - 20g
Polenta - 400ml
Italian-style Hard Cheese - 160g
Crème Fraîche - 300ml
Lemon Juice - 125ml
Free-range Chicken Breasts - 4
Onion - 1
Dried Tarragon - 10ml
Green Peppercorns - 20g
Brandy - 40ml
Baby Tomatoes - 320g
Green Leaves - 80g