Chicken With Pepita Sauce Recipes

PEPITA CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH MEXICAN CORN CAKES

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pound chicken breasts into 1/4-inch thickness. Place the eggs into a dish. The next dish mix flour, salt and pepper. In a third dish place pepitas and panko. Dip chicken into the eggs and then the flour mixture, back to the eggs and then into the pepita/panko mix to coat. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place chicken on top. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• For corn cakes:
• In food processor mix 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half, 3 tablespoons melted butter, egg yolk and half the corn until smooth. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add remaining corn, onion, cilantro and jalapeno and set aside. In a separate bowl mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and gently mix. In a small bowl whisk egg white until slightly stiff peaks form. Fold whisked egg into other ingredients. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons oil. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot skillet making 8 cakes. Cook approximately 1 minute on each side or until browned.
• For mango sauce:
• In a food processor place the mango, white onion, cilantro, sugar, jalapeno and salt and process until smooth. Add chicken broth and place in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbles form. Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half.
• To Serve:
• Place 1 chicken breast and 2 corn cakes on each plate. Drizzle with mango sauce and garnish with crumbled queso fresco.

CHICKEN BREASTS IN POBLANO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Pound chicken breasts flat and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rub poblano with olive oil and place on a foil covered baking sheet and roast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until skin blackens.
• Remove from oven and rub off outer skin with a towel ( I use a damp paper towel).
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.
• Add flour and stir over medium heat until thick.
• In a blender or food processor,pure'e half of the poblano together with the milk.
• Add to the flour mixture, mix well, and whisk in heavy cream.
• Cook over low heat until thick and bubbly, stirring often. Add salt to taste.
• Melt remaining butter in an ovenproof pan over medium-high heat and sear chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side.
• Cut remaining poblano in strips.
• Cover chicken breasts with poblano strips,sauce and cheese.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

PECAN CHICKEN WITH MAPLE PECAN SAUCE

Steps:

• To toast pecan pieces, bake in 375F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Keep oven preheated.
• For chicken: In a shallow bowl, mix together buttermilk and egg.
• Place chicken breasts in buttermilk mixture.
• In a second mixing bowl, combine pecans, cracker crumbs and salt.
• Turn chicken breasts in buttermilk, then coat with pecan mixture.
• Place chicken breasts in a greased shallow baking dish and drizzle with melted butter.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
• Serve with Maple Pecan Sauce.
• Maple Pecan Sauce: In a small saucepan, mix sugar, maple syrup, water, soy sauce and cornstarch; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from heat and add lemon juice and orange rind; stir.
• Just before serving, bring sauce to a boil; remove from heat and stir in toasted pecans.
• Makes 1 cup.

CHICKEN PEPITA MOLE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cajun spice, finely ground pepitas and cracked black pepper; coat both sides of the chicken tenders "well"; set aside.
• You will need to make sure to "rub" the spice into the chicken.
• Heat pan on medium low; add 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil.
• Add chicken for about 50 second each side; set aside on a paper towel to drain.
• NOTE The coated chicken WILL cook VERY quickly and is best to use caution to lower the heat than to have it burn.
• Lower heat to low; add to oil... chilli, cumin, cinnamon and any leftover combination mixture of cajun spice, ground pepitas and cracked black pepper; stir for about 3 - 4 minutes.
• NOTE The pan does "smoke.
• If you have ANY concerns re your pan "smoking", simply remove pan from the stove top; making sure to keep stirring. When your confidence returns, simply return it to the stove top until you are happy with the coloring.
• If the spices soak up all of the oil, you may need to add more oil.
• You WILL want to "continuously" stir the spices in oil as they DO burn easily. Do not say you have not been warned! lol.
• With heat on low, add dark chocolate and stir; combining it with the spices "well.".
• When the dark chocolate is fully melted, add diced tomatoes; stirring until combined.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• I like chicken bites, so I cut my chicken before returning it to the pan and simmered for an additional 10 minutes. Olé!

CHICKEN IN GREEN PUMPKIN-SEED SAUCE

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Bring all ingredients to boil in large pot. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl; cover to keep warm. Reserve chicken broth in pot; spoon off fat from surface.
• Meanwhile, begin sauce:
• Heat heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pepitas; stir frequently until seeds puff and begin to pop, about 15 minutes (do not brown). Transfer to dish; cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons pepitas for garnish. Working in batches, finely grind remaining pepitas with peppercorns in spice mill or coffee grinder.
• Puree tomatillos, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth in blender until almost smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo mixture and simmer until sauce is thick and reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add ground pepita mixture. Stir constantly until mixture resembles very coarse paste and begins to color in spots, about 9 minutes. Add tomatillo mixture; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups reserved chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt. Spoon some sauce onto platter. Top with chicken. Spoon remaining sauce over. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons pepitas.