Almond Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing and Friends

I was overjoyed to catch up on the phone with a very dear friend the other day. She is one of those friends that months can go by without speaking but we are able to pick up the thread of our friendship in a heartbeat. Do you know what I mean? She asked me when I was going to start posting recipes again and I promised I would .... so this one's for you Maureen, my dear friend.

Almond Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing: (serves 4)

Dressing:

1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl combine the buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil to blend. Whisk in the chives, season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

The Chicken:

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups almonds (raw, unsalted)
1/2 cup flour
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pound)
salt and pepper
vegetable or canola oil for shallow frying

Set up your breading station. In a shallow bowl (such as a pie plate) beat the eggs.
In your food processor, grind the almonds, add the flour and pulse a few times.
Place the nut/flour mixture in another shallow bowl.

Slice the chicken breasts into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide and pound slightly. Season with salt and pepper, dredge in egg, then the nut/flour mixture. Place on wire rack set over rimmed cookie sheet and allow to "dry". Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Throw away any nut/flour mixture and egg that may be left.

Heat oil in frying pan (about 1/2 an inch of oil) Working in batches, fry the chicken strips until golden (about 4 minutes per side). Remove to brown paper bags to drain, then place on a rack set over a cookie sheet* and place in a warm oven (about 275). Repeat until all chicken is fried.

Salad:

6 cups tender mixed lettuces (your choice, I used Romaine, Butter and Red Sails)
2 medium nectarines, pitted and sliced about 1/4 inch thick.

Arrange the salad on plates, top with chicken strips and drizzle with dressing.

*placing the cooked chicken on a rack will ensure that the chicken stays crisp, not soggy while keeping warm in the oven.

The chicken is also delicious served cold.

Make this for a friend, to thank them for.. well, being your friend!

As always, Bon Appetite.

A Funny Guy and Chicken with Almond Butter Sauce

My 10 year old nephew is a funny little guy.

His tastes run from football to soccer to chess.

Yes, chess.

It seems that he has been playing chess online. With some success.

He has only played chess in real life with his dad. But online, he has played with people from all over the world, of all ages.

Recently he got it into his head that he would like to play in a chess tournament. So like a good little 21st. century citizen he hit the internet and found himself a tournament. Problem is it was the Pennsylvania State Tournament. Did I mention that he only played chess on the internet or at home with his dad?

Now my sister and her husband are good parents. They encourage their children to branch out with their activities. So when Cal told them the good news of finding a tournament, off Calvin and his dad went (with tongue in cheek and many warnings from both mom and dad that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't quite ready for the big time).

I mean, come on, is this any way to treat an impressionable kid? He is only 10 years old. He has never played a local or a regional, let alone state tournament. Weren't they setting him up for defeat, maybe even humiliation? But off they went.

After 2 days of grueling matches, Cal came home with a trophy. Seems he won the 2010 Pennsylvania State Tournament Unranked Player award. Overall, he placed 13th. in a field of 100 K through 6th. graders.

When he was younger he wanted to be batman when he grew up.

Now he wants to be a professional football player and when he retires (or tires) from that he wants to be president.

You know, I think the kid has a shot.

Have you ever encouraged someone to follow their dream? Has anyone you know overcome what we mere mortals think of as obstacles? Tell me your success stories!

Chicken with Almond Butter Sauce (serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 4 pieces

Pound each chicken breast on the non-skin side until 1/2 inch thick.

Season with Salt and pepper. Then dredge in flour (both sides)

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Saute chicken until browned on each side, about 8 minutes total.

Remove cutlets from pan and keep warm.

Add shallots to pan and saute until soft over very low heat, about 3 minutes.

Add almonds to pan and saute until toasted, about 2 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the wine (or broth), scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and swirl in the butter, one piece at a time.

Serve sauce over chicken.

A Cook's Notes: I am serving this with yellow rice and steamed baby bok choy.