Chicken A La Polly Kohen Recipes

POLLY'S FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, soak the chicken in enough salted water to cover in the refrigerator overnight. Add about 1 tablespoon salt per cup of water. Drain the chicken and shake off the excess water. In a pie plate, mix together the flour, pepper and salt. Roll the chicken in the flour to coat. Into two 12-inch cast iron skillets, pour enough vegetable oil to come to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in each skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot, 305 degrees F.
• Using tongs, carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, making sure there is a lot of space between the pieces. Cook all the chicken at the same time. Cover the skillets and lower the heat to medium. After 15 minutes, the bottom sides should be brown. Turn the pieces over with the tongs, and continue to cook, covered, browning on all sides, and adjusting the heat as necessary. Remove the breast pieces after 12 minutes. All the chicken should be cooked in about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN A LA REINE

Steps:

• Make the puff pastry crescents: Lay out the puff pastry dough. Cut out 16 crescent shapes from the dough. Brush with egg whites and bake in a 375 preheated oven for 15 minutes, until golden.
• Make the stuffed chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cut them in half. Remove the fillet strip from each breast, discard the white tendon, and in a food processor grind the fillets. Add the ice, blend the mixture until the ice is absorbed, and with the motor running add the cream. Add the spinach, the salt, the fennel seeds, the rind, the nutmeg, and the pepper and blend the filling well, scraping down the sides.
• Cut a slit in each breast of chicken for the filling. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the spinach filling into each pocket. Close with toothpicks. The chicken may be prepared up to this point 24 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Place chicken in a baking pan. Add the white wine and enough chicken stock to barely cover the chicken. Add salt and pepper. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven, covered, for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Blend in 3 tablespoons flour and let cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat. Whisk in the boiling chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a boil for 1 minute, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Place back on heat and let simmer. Beat in the cream by the spoonfuls. Add 2 tablespoons softened truffle butter by 1/2 tablespoons, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
• Remove chicken from the poaching liquid. Serve with the sauce and the puff pastry crescents.

CHICKEN A LA POLLY KOHEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and sear in a large saute pan only to brown the skin not to cook through.
• Remove chicken and add the onions.
• Cook until tender, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
• Add the chili sauce, raisins and sugar.
• Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil then bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Uncover pan, add sherry, water and fruit and bake for another 20 minutes.