# The Dragn's Chicken Milano



## dragnlaw (Feb 15, 2017)

*The Dragn's Chicken Milano* 

Garlic, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil with a beautiful creamy sauce, a pasta and chicken recipe perfect for two (and even fit for company if doubled).

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2  lb skinless, boneless chicken breast
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp  butter
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth,
1/2 cup heavy cream 
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
fettuccini pasta for two



Method:

1.   Cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Season with salt & pepper.  In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil and saute chicken til browned. Take out chicken, set aside, cover loosely.  Start your water for the pasta.

2.   Melt the butter in the same skillet over low heat; add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, 'til fragrant.  Add chicken stock, loosening and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the skillet.  Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, increase the heat to medium bringing the stock to a boil.  Reduce heat again and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 min.  'til the tomatoes are tender.  Add the cream, bring back to a boil, stirring.  Simmer over medium heat 'til the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

3.   Meanwhile, slightly undercook your pasta by approx 1 or 2 min. Save approx 1 cup of pasta water.   When sauce is thick enough, add pasta to the pan (should the sauce get too thick add a bit of the saved pasta water).   Return chicken to skillet, cover and allow to reheat over low heat and finishing pasta at the same time.  Stir in basil and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Tips:
If doubling: judge your chicken amounts for appetites  . 
I would not double the sun-dried tomatoes but just increase to about 1/2 cup.  
Everything else works perfect when doubled.  
Cutting the chicken in ”strips" is another quick cooking choice with a pretty presentation.


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## dragnlaw (Feb 15, 2017)

No Rhymes but Reasons for my version:

When I saw a recipe for Chicken Milano, a dish I had never made, the pasta and chicken in a creamy white sauce sounded so yummy, I had to try it.  The original recipe I saw called for sun-dried tomatoes but I had a fresh one that desperately needed to be used.  So though it was delicious with the fresh tomato, I have found using sun-dried tomatoes is really the extra taste that takes it over the top. Many also used two pans and several steps which I reduced to one pan (other than the pasta pot) and fewer steps. 

Most recipes I've seen also cook the whole chicken breast, then slice it into 3 or 4 pieces, lay it on top of the pasta and pour the sauce over.  As pretty as this may be, cutting into bite size pieces and stirring the whole concoction together, cooks faster,  is more "eater friendly" - and really, the presentation of the colours is just as pretty.

I also often add mushrooms (I HAVE to add them!)  The recipes out there vary so much I am not sure where the line is that makes it "Chicken Milano"!  A couple of recipes bread the chicken, one or two don't even have it with sauce???  so I finally gave up with my research efforts and claim this version.


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## Dawgluver (Feb 15, 2017)

Sounds yummy, dragn!  Thanks!


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## CraigC (Feb 15, 2017)

Wheres the cheese?


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## dragnlaw (Feb 15, 2017)

What cheese?

Truth to tell, you caught me by surprise on that one. All the recipes I had researched - not one of them had cheese.  So I searched again, checked out 8 more recipes, this time 5 had no cheese but 3 of them did, ranging from 2 Tbsp to 1/3 cup.
One had mushrooms, which I am more than happy to add.

So there you go folks...  what does *your* Chicken Milano consist of?


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## Cheryl J (Feb 15, 2017)

This sounds delicious as is, dragn.  Cooking for one here, I appreciate that it's already scaled down for 2 so I don't have to scale down from 8 or so.   Thank you for sharing!


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## caseydog (Feb 16, 2017)

I'll have to come back to this one. I'll be planting my basil mid March. It should be ready to pick from by mid April. 

As for cheese, I'm thinking a little shred of Parmigiana Regiano would't suck. 

CD


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## tenspeed (Feb 16, 2017)

Thanks for the post.  I'll have to give this a try.  I make other dishes along these lines, and like to use chicken tenders.

Assuming you use dry tomatoes rather than oil packed?


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## dragnlaw (Feb 16, 2017)

tenspeed said:


> Thanks for the post.  I'll have to give this a try.  I make other dishes along these lines, and like to use chicken tenders.
> 
> Assuming you use dry tomatoes rather than oil packed?



In this recipe I do usually use dry tomatoes but as you saw in my first try I did use a fresh.  
I use dry when there is enough other liquids to soften them.  I use oil-packed for dryer recipes.  
Any tomato will do! 

I'm assuming, like me, that you garner your chicken tenders from whole large breasts that you have.  When I've bought a lot on sale and re-package, I pull the tenders off and package them separately.  I usually use them for stir-frys.


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## tenspeed (Feb 16, 2017)

dragnlaw said:


> I'm assuming, like me, that you garner your chicken tenders from whole large breasts that you have.  When I've bought a lot on sale and re-package, I pull the tenders off and package them separately.  I usually use them for stir-frys.


In this part of the world, boneless breasts usually don't include the tenders.  They're sold separately at a higher price.


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## di reston (Feb 18, 2017)

This is a very interesting thread, particularly because I'm very interested in Italo-Americano recipes. Usually, here in Italy, recipes described as Milanese are breaded and fried, served with a lemon quarter and presented with a side dish. Cream is rarely used for savoury sauces here. I usually use a mix of toasted breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, but, I have to say, you've got me.
Your recipes are fascinating, so I'm definitely going to do this one!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## GotGarlic (Feb 18, 2017)

di reston said:


> This is a very interesting thread, particularly because I'm very interested in Italo-Americano recipes. Usually, here in Italy, recipes described as Milanese are breaded and fried, served with a lemon quarter and presented with a side dish. Cream is rarely used for savoury sauces here. I usually use a mix of toasted breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, but, I have to say, you've got me.
> Your recipes are fascinating, so I'm definitely going to do this one!
> 
> di reston
> ...


That's also interesting. I have read many times that northern Italy, being close to the dairy regions of France and Switzerland, uses more cream and butter in its cuisine than the South, where tomatoes and olive oil are more common. Like this, for example: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/italian-regional-food.asp


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## dragnlaw (Feb 18, 2017)

GG - OMG...   what a fascinating site!  I'm going to be lost in it for hours!
LOL...  I don't know whether to thank you or curse you! 

I also have to add... I'm one of those cooks who really doesn't care about authenticity. I just want diverse (?) and above all yummy! I do like to know history, but it is not the end all for me.
I know others do care and I'm appreciating their input as it is extremely interesting, as said, just not at the top of my list.


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## buckytom (Feb 18, 2017)

di reston said:


> This is a very interesting thread, particularly because I'm very interested in Italo-Americano recipes. Usually, here in Italy, recipes described as Milanese are breaded and fried, served with a lemon quarter and presented with a side dish. Cream is rarely used for savoury sauces here. I usually use a mix of toasted breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, but, I have to say, you've got me.
> Your recipes are fascinating, so I'm definitely going to do this one!
> 
> di reston
> ...



As far as the genesis of the recipe goes, I originally had thought that alla Milanese meant simply breaded and fried, served with herbs and/or lemon, not really saucy. But then I figured it might come down to several things, two of which are: 
first, that you shouldn't define an entire region's cooking by one method or recipe.

And second, that the name says Milano, or that of a person from Milan. 
So, in the Italian -American theme, this might just a recipe from Joe (originally Giuseppe) from the next block over who says he's from Milan. And he likes creamy stuff.

Either way, it looks good. i'm with Milano Joe on this one. And the dragn.


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## dragnlaw (Feb 19, 2017)

*Buckytom,* your command and succinct usage of the English language positively delights me. I think I'm a little bit jealous


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## buckytom (Feb 19, 2017)

Thanks, dragn... I think, lol.

My German, Spanish, and Korean isn't that good.


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## di reston (Feb 19, 2017)

Very interesting thread, which boils down to 'what's in a recipe' and then what you call it. One thing I'm learning from all of you is that Italo-American recipes can be very varied from the so-called 'classic' recipes from over here. I've learned, for example, that American Tiramisù describes a way of making a dessert, with variations on the theme, rather than the rigidly classic way of doing it over here which is sponge pieces soaked in rum, mascarpone sweetened with sugar, amaretti, and a  thick layer of cocoa powder on top and that's it.

Over there you're much more innovative!

di reston



Enough is never as good as a feast      Oscar Wilde


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