Andy's Chicken Pistache

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This recipe is an adaptation of an adaptation, a remnant of a time when my brother and sister-in-law worked at a fine cuisine restaurant down Ocean City; a time when they fell in love. I like to think the original dish probably had a hand in it.

Andy typically makes veal pistache, but I felt like this would serve more ubiquitously as a chicken dish. Also with less "bloo bloo bloo veal!" While I do not tend to recommend boneless skinless chicken breast (too expensive for such a flavorless cut of meat), on this occasion I actually feel like the neutrality of the cut is the perfect vehicle for the crispy breading, the creamy sauce, and the accoutrement of crispy prosciutto, sauteed mushrooms, and of course, pistachio nuts.




I made this dish for an army, so I am going to scale down the ingredients for making 4-6 servings. With my family, this is a special occasion dish; rich and decadent, a long cooking time and a belly full of wine and contentment at the end. This is a dish you cook over two hours, while listening to music and laughing with friends (and stealing half the prosciutto to snack on). The end result here is less of a dish and more of a lasting memory.

Also, the dish so freaking good.

Ingredients:


  • 1.5 lbs of chicken breast cutlets, or boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups flour
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 Tbs butter
  • 4 Tbs canola oil
  • 1 lb sliced mushrooms
  • 4 oz. sliced prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 medium shallot, diced
  • 1/2 cup Marsala wine
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
To Prepare:
  1. Pour yourself a nice big glass of wine and turn on some good cooking tunes. Settle in - this can be rushed, but I find that a relaxing atmosphere and casual pacing actually makes the dish taste better. True story!
  2. Pat dry the chicken cutlets with paper towels. If using thick chicken breasts, cut them in half down the side, creating two thin cutlets. If necessary, use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken flat and even - its easiest to cover the chicken with a large piece of plastic wrap, then beat the heck out of it with the tenderizer. The end result should be large, flat, evenly thick chicken cutlets.


  3. In a large, flat bowl, beat the eggs until a uniform color.
  4. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Pour half this flour into a third wide bowl.


  5. In a large pan, melt 2 Tbs of butter and 2 Tbs of canola oil on a medium heat.
  6. Dredge the chicken in the first flour bowl, shaking off any excess flour.
  7. Next dredge the chicken in the beaten eggs. Let any excess egg mixture drip off before ...
  8. Dredge the chicken in the second flour bowl. Shake off any excess flour. 
  9. Gently lay the chicken in the pan with the oil and butter, over a medium heat. Repeat steps 6-8 until you have a two or three pieces of chicken in the pan. Make sure the chicken are not crowded (touching) in the pan.
  10. While the chicken browns, heat the remaining butter and oil in another large pan on high heat. Once the butter and oil are hot, add the mushrooms. DO NOT STIR. Allow the mushrooms to lay flat on the bottom of the hot pan in order to caramelize and brown. Don't even think about stirring. In fact, move the spoon across the room. Have a sip of wine.
  11. When the chicken is golden brown on the bottom, flip to cook the other side. Each side should take approximately 5-7 minutes, but you will need to eyeball this making sure that the chicken is both golden brown on the bottom and beginning to turn white up the sides and towards the middle before you flip it. At a medium heat, the chicken will be perfectly cooked once each side is golden brown.

  12. When the chicken is finished, move it to a baking dish and place it in the oven at the lowest temperature possible. Repeat the steps above until all of the chicken has been cooked and is resting in the oven to stay warm.
  13. Once the mushrooms have reduced in size by half or so, and the bottoms are golden brown, NOW you may stir them. Continue to cook them for a few more minutes, then set aside.

  14. In the pan where you cooked the mushrooms, add the prosciutto and cook over a medium heat. Cook until the edges of the prosciutto start to brown and crisp.

  15. Add the shallots, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. The shallots should begin to turn translucent.
  16. Turn the heat in the pan up to medium high. Add the Marsala wine, using it to deglaze the delicious prosciutto and mushroom bits from the base of the pan using the back of your spoon. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  17. Add the chicken stock. Again, bring the mixture to a simmer.
  18. Add the mushrooms and the pistachios to the mixture, simmering for 3-5 minutes to thicken the sauce a bit. Turn off the heat and add the heavy cream, stirring to incorporate thoroughly.

  19. Serve by plating the chicken, then just simply flooding the chicken with a deluge of delicious pistache sauce with bits.


Bon appetit!

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