Pistachio Chicken

Pistachio chicken is a dressed-up dinner-party main that does the work of a fancy restaurant entree without the fuss. Pounded chicken breasts wrap around a savory filling of butter-cooked mushrooms, salty diced ham, and chopped pistachios, then get basted with a glossy apricot-and-chutney glaze that caramelizes in the oven into a sweet-savory crust.

The pounding step is non-skippable. An even thickness is what allows the breasts to roll cleanly around the filling and cook through in the same time. Cooking the mushrooms until they release their moisture and go almost dry is equally important. Wet filling steams the chicken from the inside and turns the wrap soggy.

Chef Tips

• Tuck the toothpicks in at an angle and count them as you place them so none end up on a guest’s plate.
• Sear the rolls in a hot pan for one minute per side before transferring to the bake. The browned exterior holds the shape better and adds flavor.
• Reserve some of the apricot sauce for serving alongside. The basted layer concentrates and intensifies in the oven, while the reserved sauce stays bright.
• Use Major Grey-style mango chutney for the most balanced sweet-savory flavor in the glaze.

Variations

• Swap ham for diced prosciutto for a sharper, more concentrated salt note.
• Use toasted pecans or sliced almonds in place of pistachios if needed.
• Substitute peach or fig preserves for the apricot jam to shift the glaze in a different direction.