Latin Chicken w/Swiss Chard over Italian Polenta

Now that we made all that Sunday Gravy we need to use it up.

Tonight's recipe is all about a Latin-Style Chicken with Swiss Chard over creamy, cheesy polenta.

I defrosted 2 chicken breasts and 2 leg quarters (basically, 1 whole chicken fryer minus the wings).

The Nudge likes the white meat...me? I love dark meat.

No one fights over the drumsticks or the breasts. I knew this would be a marriage for the ages.....lol

Yesterday I had a dentist's appointment and The Nudge has a cancelled doctor's appointment so he took me to mine (after, of course, I helped him shovel the mound of icy snow at the end of our driveway).

While we were out we stopped for a pizza which meant, no cooking dinner last night.

Today I will make the Mexican-Style Chicken, but instead of making penne, I will make the polenta that was supposed to go under the shrimp.
That way I combine 2 days into one.
The shrimp? Well, it will remain in the freezer for another day.


This is my cat's favorite perch. His sister sits on the window sill and he usually sits on the same stair going up to the second floor, as we eat dinner at the table that sits right under the stairs. I happened to walk into the dining room and right there, as usual, was my 'lil boy but this time he was sitting on 2 stairs. So, cute.

I had to take a pic, this is one shot I might never get again.


I spooned the polenta into a bowl and then topped it with the swiss chard mixture (it is hard to see under the chicken & sauce).

I cut the breast in diagonal slices and pulled the dark meat into chunks, placed that on top of the chard and then spooned the sauce over everything.
I might have over done the sauce a bit, but, after all, I am a saucy woman!!
I pureed the sauce but you can just strain it for a smoother sauce. The chard has onions, garlic and roasted peppers that will give you texture and the braised onions have given up all their flavor.

Latin-Style Chicken
makes 4-6 servings
* 1 tablespoon Anchiote Paste or olive oil
* 2 chicken thighs, legs and breasts
* salt & pepper
* 1 small onion, slivered
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/4 cup recaito
* 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
* 1/2 cup Sunday Gravy or a good quality marinara sauce
* 2 cups water

Swiss Chard
* 1 head chard, stems removed and sliced
* 1/2 sweet onion, slivered
* 1/2 roasted red pepper, strips
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 2 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
* Salt & Pepper
* 1 tablespoon butter

Polenta
* 1/2 cup instant polenta
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 2 tsp honey or agave nectar

1. In a frying pan, heat the anchiote paste.
2. Season the chicken pieces on both sides and saute them in the pan, till a crispy crust has formed. Remove to a baking dish.
3. Remove most of the fat and saute the recaito, onions, garlic for a few minutes. Once the onions are soft, add the tomato sauce and the water. Bring to a simmer and pour over the chicken. Cover the dish and bake at 375F for 40 minutes.
4. Remove the dish from the oven and reserve the breasts, leaving the dark meat in the dish. Return to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
5. While that is baking, saute oil & garlic in same frying pan from cooking the chicken. Add the chard and wilt. Remove chard to bowl and add butter & saute slivered onions until caramelized. Add wine to deglaze. Add chard back to pan and add sherry vinegar and reduce. Check for seasoning. Remove and reserve.
6. Right before eating, boil salted water for polenta. Add bay leaf and agave nectar. Slowing add polenta, stirring constantly. Lower heat so that the bubbles do not explode all over your stove. Stirring continuously for 8-10 minutes only polenta is thick. Add a tablespoon of cream, a nob of butter and grated cheese. Keep warm on the stove.
7. Slice and pull your chicken, heat the sauce, rewarm the chard and plate your dishes.

Review: I would make this again, changing the chicken to Italian-style, Moroccan-style, Southern-style, Chinese-style.....the ways are endless, the results are wonderful.
Healthy, diabetic friendly and very flavorful. The Nudge agrees.