This vibrant dish blends tender poached chicken with a luxurious sauce made from toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, and sweet raisins. Infused with warm cinnamon and deglazed with dry sherry, it offers a complex interplay of savory depth and subtle sweetness. The texture is delightful, featuring soft chicken pieces coated in a nutty, velvety glaze. It’s an elegant yet comforting main course perfect for dinner parties or special family meals. While the ingredient list might seem unusual for traditional Mexican cuisine, the result is a unique, flavorful experience that balances earthiness with brightness. Serve it with rice or crusty bread to soak up every drop of the aromatic sauce.
Mexican Chicken W/Pine Nuts
Description
This vibrant dish blends tender poached chicken with a luxurious sauce made from toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, and sweet raisins. Infused with warm cinnamon and deglazed with dry sherry, it offers a complex interplay of savory depth and subtle sweetness. The texture is delightful, featuring soft chicken pieces coated in a nutty, velvety glaze. It&# 226;ÂÂs an elegant yet comforting main course perfect for dinner parties or special family meals. While the ingredient list might seem unusual for traditional Mexican cuisine, the result is a unique, flavorful experience that balances earthiness with brightness. Serve it with rice or crusty bread to soak up every drop of the aromatic sauce.Ingredients
Directions
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Quarter the roaster chicken, carefully removing any excess fat from the body cavity.
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Place the chicken pieces in a large pan and add enough salted water to just cover them.
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Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
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Meanwhile, finely grind the pine nuts in a blender or food processor until they resemble coarse meal.
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In a small skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
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Add the ground pine nuts to the melted butter and sauté until they turn a rich golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
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Drain the chicken pieces, reserving the cooking liquid, and return the chicken to the original pan to keep warm.
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In a separate small saucepan, melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat.
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Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a golden brown, nutty roux.
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Gradually whisk in 1 1/4 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, ensuring no lumps form.
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Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring continuously.
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Stir in the toasted pine nut mixture, dry sherry, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
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Mix well and bring the sauce back to a simmer.
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Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces in the pan.
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Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
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Stir in 1/4 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of blanched slivered almonds.
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Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
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Simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes to thicken slightly, then serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 832.2kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 40.9g63%
- Saturated Fat 11.2g56%
- Cholesterol 303.0mg101%
- Sodium 280.1mg12%
- Total Carbohydrate 0.6g1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.0g0%
- Sugars 0.1g
- Protein 92.0g184%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
This recipe uses specific amounts of butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and almonds in the directions that are not listed in the ingredients section. Ensure you have 1/4 cup butter, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup raisins, and 1/2 cup slivered almonds on hand.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop to prevent the sauce from breaking.
Substitution: If pine nuts are too expensive or unavailable, toasted almonds or walnuts can be used, though the flavor profile will change slightly.
