Portuguese Chicken

You know, when you're trying to impress a man, cooking is always a good plan of action. I made this last Monday for a dinner date with a particularly dreamy wine rep. Its only drawback is the amount of time required--but the payoff is pretty sweet. Inspired by a traditional Portuguese dish that would be prepared in a terra cotta jug, this is braised chicken at its smokiest, sweetest, tangiest. Here we go (courtesy of bon appetit magazine):

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hrs, 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon paprika
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), in juice, with garlic and oregano, if possible
4 ounces proscuitto, chopped
12 cipolline onions or 1-inch diameter pearl onions, blanched 1 minute, peeled
2 large roasted red peppers from a jar, halved, cut into 3/4-inch wide strips
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
4 springs of Italian parsley
4 large bay leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used unoaked Chardonnay)
1/2 cup tawny Port (NOT ruby Port--there's a big difference!)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon tomato paste

Whew.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 Tablespoon paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in large bowl. Add chicken pieces to seasoned flour, one at a time, and turn to coat.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and saute until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate; reserve skillet.

Arrange chicken in single layer in large, ovenproof pot. Top with tomatoes and juice, proscuitto, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, and bay leaves; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon paprika.

Add wine and Port to reserved skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard and tomato paste; pour mixture over chicken and bring to boil on the stovetop (but in the ovenproof pot). Cover, then transfer to oven.

Braise chicken until very tender, about 1.5 hours. Discard bay leaves and parsley. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plates. Top with sauce and toppings. Season as desired with additional salt and pepper.

Wine Pairing: Well, we had a 2003 Santa Sofia Amarone. It was amazing! :)