Gabrielle Carteris's Chicken Nest with Tomatoes Beans & R
Layered chicken nest platter with breaded chicken cutlets, sun-dried tomato rice, beans, and steamed asparagus, peppers, and snow peas over lettuce. A colorful all-in-one dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minThis layered platter builds a full meal from the bottom up: lettuce, sun-dried tomato rice, beans, steamed vegetables, and breaded chicken cutlets glazed with Italian dressing and green peppercorns. Every layer adds a different texture and flavor.
The rice cooks in chicken broth instead of water, absorbing savory depth, then gets tossed with sun-dried tomatoes sautéed in their own oil. That oil brings concentrated tomato flavor and richness without any extra fat.
The chicken cutlets get dipped in lemon juice before breading, which tenderizes the meat and adds brightness that carries through the crust. Browning them with garlic and shallots builds an aromatic base, and the Italian dressing with green peppercorns creates a tangy, peppery glaze.
Kitchen Tips
- Slice the chicken breasts thin before breading. Thick cutlets won’t cook through in the same time as thin ones.
- Steam the vegetables just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Overcooked asparagus and snow peas lose their snap and color.
- Layer everything while still warm. The heat from each layer helps the flavors mingle on the platter.
- Green peppercorns add a sharp, fresh heat that’s different from black pepper. Find them packed in brine in the international aisle.
Variations
- Use quinoa instead of rice for a higher-protein base.
- Swap the beans for chickpeas and add a squeeze of lemon for a Mediterranean angle.
- Replace snow peas with sugar snap peas or green beans for a similar crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
- In a frying pan, sauté sun-dried tomatoes in their own oil for five Set aside. In a separate pot, bring chicken broth to a boil, add rice, and cook, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes, or until all the broth has been absorbed. Add the sun- dried tomatoes to the cooked rice. ~ 2. Cut the chicken breasts into thin cutlets. Dip in lemon juice and coat with bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté about two minutes. Add chicken and brown for about 5 minutes on each side. Mix the Italian dressing and the peppercorns and add to the chicken. Keep warm. ~ 3. Heat the beans and drain the liquid. In a separate pan, steam peppers, asparagus, and snow peas for approximately 5 minutes. ~ 4. Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Cover with a layer of rice, a layer of beans, a layer of vegetables and finally the chicken mixture.
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