Dinner Party Chicken and Raspberry Main Dish

By Jan Finlayson

Dinner Parties will thrill and scare the best of us when it comes to planning the menu. We want to serve something impressive, yet not so hard that the margin for error increases. This recipe, adapted from Anna Pump’s cookbook, Summer on A Plate is a sure-fire winner. The cookbook offers plenty of easy recipes with major impact.

Hazelnut-Crusted Chicken with Raspberry Sauce

Serves four

Raspberry Sauce

¾ cup lightly packed fresh raspberries

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup safflower oil

3-6 teaspoons water (optional)

Chicken

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

3 teaspoons coarse ground pepper, divided

1/3 cup honey mustard

1/3 cup finely chopped mint leaves

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons peanut oil

4 cups baby salad greens

½ cup fresh raspberries

Sauce: Puree raspberries, white wine vinegar, and sugar in blender until smooth. With blender running, gradually add safflower oil. Add water by teaspoonfuls as needed to thin to desired consistency. Reason raspberry sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken: Preheat oven to 375. Mix hazelnuts, panko, 1 TSP coarse salt, and 2 tspns pepper in shallow bowl.

Mix honey mustard, mint leaves, mayo, Dijon mustard, remaining coarse salt, and remaining pepper in bowl. Add chicken, coat.

Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into crumb-nut mixture, coating both sides and pressing to adhere. Transfer coated chicken to baking sheet.

Divide equal amounts of butter and peanut oil between 2 large non-stick skillets; heat over medium high. Add 2 chicken breasts to each skillet, reduce heat to medium and cook until chicken is light brown, about four minutes per side. Place breasts on rimmed cooking sheet and transfer to oven. Roast until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Divide salad greens between four plates, top with chicken. Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve raspberry sauce alongside.