Cumin Crusted Chicken with Cotija and Mango-Garlic Sauce with Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 2 hr 1 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 1 min
- Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted, plus 3 tablespoons toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
4 (8 ounce) frenched, skin on chicken breasts
1/3 cup grated cotija cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mango Garlic Sauce, recipe follows
Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes, recipe follows
Mango Garlic Sauce:
8 cups homemade chicken stock (do not use canned for this recipe)
8 whole black peppercorns
1 head roasted garlic, pureed
3 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 mangos, peeled, pitted and pureed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes:
4 pounds baking potatoes, like russets, peeled and cut into large cubes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream, scalded
Green Onion Pesto, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Green Onion Pesto:
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 cloves garlic
6 spinach leaves
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 green onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Whisk together the whole cumin, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, honey, and pepper in a medium baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a large ovenproof saute pan over medium high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and wipe off any excess. Combine the ground cumin, cotija, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Dust the chicken on the skin side with the mixture.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and place in the oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through.
- Serve drizzled with the Mango Garlic Sauce and with the Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes.
Mango Garlic Sauce:
- Combine chicken stock, peppercorns, and garlic in a medium saucepan and cook until reduced to 3 cups. Strain into a bowl.
- Place both vinegars in a separate medium saucepan and cook until reduced by 1/2. Add the sugar and mango puree, and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly.
- Add the reduced chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes:
- Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain well and run through a food mill into a large bowl. Stir in the butter and cream and mix until combined. Swirl in the Green Onion Pesto and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Green Onion Pesto:
- Combine pumpkin seeds, garlic, spinach, and cilantro in food processor and process until smooth. Add green onions and lime juice, and process until smooth.
- With the motor running, slowly add the oil. Add the Parmesan, honey, salt, and pepper, and pulse several times until combined.