Poulet, Riz et Haricots Verts - A Meal in Summary

Good day!
Tonight our menu consisted of Poulet Sauté à la Grecque, Riz Pilaf, and Haricots Verts à la Vapeur. In other words, Greek-Style Sautéed Chicken, Rice Pilaff, and Steamed Green Beans. My recipes came from the recipe book 'Le Cordon Bleu At Home', and made for an interesting and delicious meal. The rice pilaf in particular was moist and intensely flavorful; it complemented the chicken, which was pan-seared and then cooked in the oven with onion, chili, chicken stock, and seasonings, to be topped later with a sauce that included currants and sultanas (golden raisins). The green beans, which were steamed yet still slightly firm, were a simple and healthy third part of the trio; they balanced out the complex flavors of the other two dishes perfectly.
All in all, this meal was thoroughly enjoyable and, while slightly time-consuming, not terribly difficult to pull off with the help of a few handy-dandy kitchen assistants (i.e. siblings, parents, or other innocent bystanders).
Recipes can be found in the posts below. Happy cooking!

     

Poulet Sauté à la Grecque

Poulet Sauté à la Grecque

Or, Greek-Style Sauteed Chicken

From 'Le Cordon Bleu At Home'

Ingredients:

-3.5 oz mixed currants and sultanas (golden raisins)

-4.5 lbs chicken

-2.5 oz butter

-2 tbsp olive oil

-Salt and pepper

-1 large onion, chopped

-1 small hot green chili, chopped

-¾ oz flour

-2 cloves garlic, crushed

-8 fl oz chicken stock

Instructions:

Put the currants and sultanas in a small bowl and cover with lukewarm water; set aside. 

If the chicken is whole, cut into 6 pieces; if you are using breasts or thighs, leave whole. Heat 1.5 oz of the butter and 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large ovenproof or cast iron pot over high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Saute until golden brown, then turn and repeat on the other side. Remove chicken and wipe off most of the fat. Begin preheating oven to 425*F. Add remaining butter and oil to the pot, then chopped onion and chili. Cook until soft but not colored. Whisk in the flour and cook for two minutes. Then, add the crushed garlic and the chicken stock and stir well. Return the chicken to the pan, and add only enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Be sure not to let the chicken overcook and become dry. 

This is the moment to begin preparing your rice pilaff, if you are making it along with the chicken. 

When the chicken is finished, take it out of the pan, and place it on a serving platter covered with aluminum foil. Strain some of the liquid into a saucepan and add the sultanas and currants. Reduce and thicken the sauce over medium heat. (Note: impatient and/or hungry chefs can add a small teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little water to the sauce. It will speed up the thickening process). 

Serve the chicken with some sauce on top, not leaving out the currants and sultanas. Enjoy!