Rhubarb Stuffed Chicken Breasts on Soba
Living so far North, our rhubarb season arrives much later than most areas, so we are lucky to have fresh rhubarb available this time of year! If you are unable to find fresh rhubarb in your area, you may substitute frozen rhubarb to make this fabulous chicken dish full of flavorful surprises! For this recipe I use a spice blend of whole cumin, coriander, mustard and caraway seeds, then freshly grind it. The combination of tart rhubarb with sweet and spicy aromatic spices elevates a simple chicken breast to the star of an elegant gourmet entrée and the nutritional properties of rhubarb keeps this dish super healthy! Serve over Japanese soba noodles or jasmine rice with plenty of rhubarb sauce. A full bodied Chardonnay is perfect!
There are three steps to making this dish and all are very simple.
Make the rhubarb stuffing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground blend of whole cumin, coriander, mustard and caraway seed
Dash of Aleppo pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt flakes
Freshly ground pepper
Heat olive oil on medium high in a skillet
Add rhubarb and the rest of ingredients
Sauté until soft, let cool and set aside
Make the rhubarb sauce:
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sliced ginger
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1&1/2 star anise pod
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
4 cups broth, mushroom, chicken or both
In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium high
Add ginger, rhubarb and onion and sauté till soft
Add anise, bay leaf, brandy,sugars and broth
Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 hour until reduced to 2 cups
Strain, discard the solids and transfer sauce to a sauce pan
Add 1/3 cup of reserved stuffing to the sauce, set aside
Meanwhile preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2-4 bone in chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, cut up
1 package baby red bell peppers
8-10 baby carrots
2 corn on the cob. Husked and broken in half
Freshly ground whole spice blend( see above)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 package of soba noodles, cooked to al dente or 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
Lemon zest and chopped cilantro for garnish
Slit an opening in each chicken breast and also separate the skin from meat
Place remainder of rhubarb stuffing under the skin and in each slit of each chicken breast
Arrange chicken breasts, skin side up in a shallow baking pan
Dot each breast with butter
Arrange carrots, baby bells, onion and corn around the chicken breasts
Season everything with whole spice blend, salt and pepper
Drizzle with olive oil
Bake until chicken is brown and tender, about 45 minutes
Transfer chicken and vegetables to a large serving plate of soba noodles or jasmine rice
Drizzle with reserved rhubarb sauce
Garnish with lemon zest and chopped cilantro
Serve with extra sauce and fresh salad and a good Chardonnay
Just wonderful!