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Recipe Detail Page
Chicken Breast with Roasted Onion Sauce
Spring 2005
An exuberant take on roast chicken with subtle spices and an exciting salad.
Serves 4
Roasted Onion Sauce
¼ cup (50 mL) vegetable oil
½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated ginger
½ tsp (2 mL) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) Segar's Spice Mixture (recipe follows)
½ cup (125 mL) chicken stock
¼ cup (50 mL) whipping cream
¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
1. Heat 2 tbsp (25 mL) oil in skillet on medium heat. Add onion and sauté onions over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute or until golden. Add cumin and the spice mixture and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Add the stock, cream, cayenne and cardamom. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until flavours have melded and sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
3. Preheat oven to 400º F (200ºC).
4. Heat a 10-inch (25-cm) ovenproof sauté pan to medium-high heat and add remaining 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
5. Add chicken breast in a single layer, skin-side down, and leave to brown for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over, cover with a lid and place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Serve sauce around chicken and garnish with warm potato and asparagus salad (recipe follows).
Serves 4
Segar's Spice Mixture
3 tbsp (45 mL) coriander seeds
3 tbsp (45 mL) cumin seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) whole cloves
1 tsp (5 mL) fennel seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) chili flakes
¼ tsp (1 mL) turmeric
1. Lightly toast coriander, cumin, cloves and fennel in a skillet for 2 minutes over medium heat, or until fragrant. Stir in chili flakes.
2. Grind toasted spices together in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle.
3. Add turmeric and stir to combine.
Makes 3/4 cup (75 mL)
Warm Potato and Asparagus Salad
1 lb (500 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
12 stalks fresh asparagus
Pinch turmeric
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp (2 mL) mustard seeds
½ tsp (2 mL) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) Segar's Spice Mixture (recipe above)
3 tbsp (45 mL) coriander leaves
3 tbsp (45 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Cut potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Cut tough ends from asparagus and cut stalks into 3-inch (8-cm) pieces.
2. Add potatoes to a pot of cold salted water with turmeric. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook 10 minutes or until just barely tender. Strain and spread out to cool.
3. Add asparagus to a pot of boiling salted water and blanch for 1 minute or until just undercooked and then drain and rinse with water until cold.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until transparent.
6. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and the Spice Mixture. Cook until fragrant, and then fold in the potatoes and the asparagus. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables. Cook 2 minutes to heat through, then stir in coriander leaves and lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.
7. Divide between four plates and serve alongside chicken and roasted onion sauce.
Serves 4
