Carolina Chicken with Butter Peas Two Ways

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) Margaret Holmes Butter Peas
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced country ham
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1 large fresh lemon, juiced and zested
¼ cup reduced fat buttermilk
½ cup chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
4 boneless skinless split chicken breasts
2 tbsp. canola oil
Optional garnish:  fresh lemon slices and chopped flat-leaf parsley

Recipe Instructions:

Place undrained butter peas into a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.  Drain well, keeping warm.  With a slotted spoon remove ½ cup of the cooked peas to a small mixing bowl; add red bell pepper, country ham, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon each black and red pepper flakes, tossing gently to blend; reserve. Place the remaining peas into a food processor with the lemon juice (reserve zest for later use), buttermilk, onion, parsley, ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; process until smooth.  Remove from food processor to a small saucepan and place over very low heat to keep warm, stirring occasionally. Mix together flour and lemon-pepper seasoning until well blended; dust both sides of chicken lightly and evenly with mixture.Heat oil in a large heavy skilled placed over medium-high heat; cook chicken for about 10-12 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board; let rest for about 5 minutes, then cut each chicken breast into crosswise strips. To serve, divide warm pea puree among 4 shallow serving bowls; top with sliced chicken and the butter pea-ham mixture, dividing equally.  Sprinkle with reserved lemon zest and garnish with fresh lemon slices and flat-leaf parsley, if desired.  Yield:  4 servings
In this very special dish, the butter peas are used to make both a salad-type topping for great flavor and color, and also as a velvety puree underneath the tender and juicy chicken strips – two great southern enhancements for the tasty chicken, pumped up by the zest of lemon and a tiny scattering of country ham.  Crisp cooked crumbled bacon may be substituted for the country ham, if preferred.  “Nothing could be finer” than this Carolina-inspired chicken dish!

This Recipe uses the following products:

  • Butter Peas