Current Catalog

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WINING & DINING The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia by Braiden Rex-Johnson photographs by Jackie Johnston Wiley October 2007 $34.95/hardcover Full-color photographs throughout ISBN: 978-0-471-74685-0 Back to book information Printer-friendly page

Varietals:
Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, or Merlot

This recipe, from the Chukar Cherry Company's handy cookbook, The Chukar Cherry Recipe Collection: Year 'Round Northwest Cherry & Berry Classics, makes use of two prototypical Northwest ingredients — dried cherries and hazelnuts. The nuts form a crispy crust on boneless, skinless chicken breasts, while the cherries are cooked in a white wine-based sauce redolent of thyme and shallots. Chukar's owner, Pam Montgomery (also known as "Ma Chukar"), likes to pair the chicken with white varietals such as Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay. I tried it with a mellow, cherry-scented Merlot with great success. Pam's crush on cherries began in 1986, when she and her young family purchased an 8,000-tree orchard in small-town Prosser, Washington. She formed Chukar Cherry Company in 1988, after experimenting with a dehydrator to dry fruit for year-round use and developing products for family and friends. Located in the heart of the state's fruit and wine country, the company's plant and tasting room is a "must" stop on the Yakima Valley wine trail. Samples of all the delicious cherry, berry, and chocolate creations are free-flowing, both there and at the company's permanent stand in the Main Arcade of the Pike Place Market.

Chukar Cherry Company
320 Wine Country Road
Prosser, WA 99350
(800) 624-9544
chukar.com

1 large egg white
1 cup hazelnuts or almonds, finely chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, rinsed and patted dry
1-1/2 cups minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup dried tart cherries (Chukar brand preferred)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

In a shallow dish, beat the egg white until pale and frothy. Spread the hazelnuts evenly over a large plate.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg, let the excess egg drip off, then lightly coat the breasts in the nuts. When the oil is hot, arrange the chicken in the skillet without crowding, or cook in 2 batches.

Cook the breasts until browned on the outside but not cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat, cover, and reserve.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently and lowering the heat as needed, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cherries, white wine, and thyme and stir well. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir well.

Add the cherry-chicken broth mixture to the reserved skillet containing the chicken breasts, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Gently turn the breasts two or three times while they simmer so they cook evenly and completely.

Place a chicken breast in the center of each dinner plate, surround with the sauce, and serve.