Chef notes
Ever cooked with tequila before? Well, here's your chance. This scrumptious dish is flavorful, tender and lets the tequila shine. I love this recipe because it sounds fancy and tastes gourmet yet there's minimal prep and cleanup involved — you only need one skillet and you're set. I like to serve it over brown rice or on its own with crusty whole-grain bread. And of course, it pairs perfectly with a tequila-based cocktail!
Technique tip: If using chicken breast, you can buy thinly sliced chicken breast or take one large breast, slice the width in half and then pound between two pieces of parchment paper until each piece is about 1/2-inch thick. For thighs, 4 skinless thighs will roughly equal 12 ounces chicken.
Swap option: For an optional boozy finish, just before serving, turn off flame, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons tequila and swirl in.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup almond flour (or any other preferred flour like whole wheat or all-purpose)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 clementine or mandarin oranges, 1/4-inch cut off stem and back end of each, then sliced into three 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 scallions, whole, root end trimmed
- 15 multi-colored whole grape tomatoes, larger ones cut in half
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot flour (or corn starch)
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) tequila
Preparation
1.Add almond flour to wide, shallow bowl and mix in salt, coriander and pepper. Press chicken into the seasoned flour, ensuring you fully coat both sides of each piece.
2.Add oil to large skillet and warm over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and scatter the clementine slices in a single layer, trying not to let anything overlap. Let cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, until both the chicken and fruit slices are caramelized and golden-brown. Flip the chicken and fruit slices, then add the scallions and tomatoes, allowing the tomatoes to blister while the chicken finishes cooking, about 2 more minutes.
3.While everything cooks, make a slurry in a small bowl by mixing the OJ (or clementine juice), broth and arrowroot (or corn starch) until completely smooth. Set aside.
4.Remove the pan from flame (this is a very important, so the booze doesn't flame up) and pour in the tequila. Place the pan back over the flame and add the slurry mixture. Cook until the sauce becomes thick and glaze-like, about 1 minute, gently scraping and stirring with a rubber or wooden spatula to deglaze the pan and incorporate the flavors. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve over brown rice or on its own with crusty whole-grain bread.
