Vicki's Favorite Chicken with Grapes, Couscous and Roasted Asparagus
Serve with Roasted Pears and Ice Cream.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound asparagus
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, (stripped from 6-7 sprigs)
- Coarse salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, (eyeball it)
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup white wine, (eyeball it)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (available on soup aisle in paper boxes), divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grainy, stone-ground mustard
- 1 1/2 cups, about 1/2 pound, seedless red grapes, halved
- 2 cups couscous
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°F.
Trim tough ends of asparagus and save for soup. Place asparagus in a large bowl and toss with about 3 tablespoons EVOO, 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Spread the asparagus out on a cookie sheet and roast 10-12 minutes until the asparagus is tender and crispy at the tips.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat; add 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, and 2 tablespoons butter to the pan.
Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge the tenders in flour and add it to the pan. Cook chicken 7-8 minutes until browned. Add wine and scrape up browned bits as wine cooks down and bubbles, 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup stock to skillet. Combine cream and mustard and add to stock. Add grapes to the pan and turn chicken and grapes to coat and combine with the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat.
Bring remaining 2 cups chicken stock and remaining tablespoon of fresh thyme to a boil in a small pot. Add couscous. Put a tight fitting lid on pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Serve tenders and grapes on couscous alongside asparagus.
