Thursday, October 27, 2011

I cooked: Pan Fried Chicken with Balsamic Tomatoes and Caramelised Shallots

During the run-up to the Blogger MasterChef semi-finals, my mind would often work overtime, thinking what mystery ingredient would be given for the Invention Test. One of the ingredients I practiced with (a lot) was chicken, since I rarely prepared this a la Western.

The pan fried chicken with balsamic tomatoes and caramelised shallots was an impromptu creation and turned out to be the best tasting one of all my experiments. You can either served this as an appetizer or a main course. Just adjust serving size accordingly. It is very easy to prepare and is very healthy. Personally, I like the idea of serving it in a spoon, so you can just pop the whole thing in your mouth and let the different flavours work its magic.

As an appetizer

Or as a main course


Pan Fried Chicken with Balsamic Tomatoes and Caramelised Shallots
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves 2 or makes 8 appetizer portions

Ingredients
1 piece chicken breast or thigh, cut into 4.5cm x 3cm piece
2 tbsp light soy sauce
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large tomato, diced
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 tbsp honey
A handful fresh parsley, chopped finely
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Spring onion (white part), sliced thinly

1. Firstly, start by marinating the chicken pieces with light soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Try to use fresh chicken instead of frozen, so that the end product is moist.

2. Add 3 tbsp olive oil to 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and season with salt. Then add the diced tomatoes and parsley, and mix thoroughly. Leave aside until ready to use.

3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat.

4. Using the same frying pan, add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add honey and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, constantly stirring until the onions are nicely caramelised.

5. To assemble the dish, place a spoonful of balsamic tomato on the plate/serving spoon, followed by a piece of chicken and then topped with the caramelised onion and spring onions as garnish.

Hope you enjoy it!

A mixture of savory and sweet flavours

Just pop one in your mouth


Can also be served as a main course


The balsamic tomatoes give this dish an appetizing edge

Full set of photos available here.

17 comments:

  1. It can be made into a dessert too. Haha. Chicken and balsamic vinegar ice cream. I know that some people made bacon ice cream. hehe

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  2. i have done something before with a whole chicken breast, sliced diagonally, which can be more visually appealing than chicken thigh

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  3. I do like roasted honey glazed chicken, simple and delicious with the crispy skin :D

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  4. sure looks good (and i think i'd love it even more if you added some avocado, heheh) :D

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  5. Yum yum! Looks so GOOD! And simple to prepare indeed! Thanks for giving me another idea on what to cook for dinner :P

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  6. Love recipe like this. Simple to do and yields such delicious food.

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  7. Ooh - I wouldn't mind that as an appetiser AND as a main course! Looks yummy! :D

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  8. Michelle: Hehe... dont have an ice cream maker but would love to try it if I do.

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  9. Joe: Yeah I prefer to cook with chicken breast too. I used chicken breast in this recipe, though I suggested chicken thigh could be used too since some ppl thinks chicken breast is too "tough".

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  10. Fui: I like roast chicken too, though I havent cooked that in a long time since I find the chickens in Malaysia generally too dry after roasting.

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  11. Sean: Thanks! To be honest, I very rarely cook with avocado but may experiment when I get my hands on some. Care to be my guinea pig? :P

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  12. iamthewitch: Do let me know if you like the taste of this dish after you've made it :)

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  13. Quay Po: Thank u! Great honour coming from a great cook like u :)

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  14. LFB: Thanks Kenny! It is soooo easy to prepare too.

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  15. Isaac: Thanks! I try my best to put delicious food on the table for my family :)

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  16. Nice article, thanks for the information.Great photos! Thanks for posting.

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