Herb butter stuffed chicken breast with smoky fresh black eyed peas

Now just in case that readers out there are thinking that I got my idea for this chicken dish from Mark Bittman and this column, I can promise you that I have been doing this technique for a long time and it is as promised in both this blog and the New York Times, a juicy, simple and easy way to make a typical boring chicken breast something special.


However, what really got me excited while shopping was the fresh black eyed peas.  I have NEVER seen fresh black eyed peas, and I was not expecting to see them in California, since they are not exactly a staple of the diet here on the west coast.  Now, I was familiar with the southern American tradition of eating black eyed peas on New Year's Eve for good luck, but I did not realize that this tradition actually came from Sephardic Jews that settled in the south in the 1700's.  Apparently there are biblical references to the necessity of eating a list of ingredients such as leeks, black eyed peas, calabash, beets and dates in order to ensure a good luck, and a happy, healthy and wealthy year ahead. 

More importantly, I have neither seen nor cooked these vegetables before.  I decided to cook them in a similar manner to all fresh beans such as cranberry beans, which are seen on a fairly regular basis at the Alameda Natural Grocery a few blocks from my house.  I pealed away the tough outer skin, washed the resulting beans and cooked them in a small pot with water, spices and salt covering them by about 1 inch for about 35-40 minutes.  I then let them sit until the chicken was finished.  My personal touch that really made these outstanding in my opinion was the addition of smoked paprika, which made for a nicely smoky finish when the beans were cooked.

Chicken is the most popular meat protein in the United States, which is somewhat strange to me, since it is so often cooked poorly or incorrectly, and is no longer the cheapest meat available.  Even stranger is the fact that the cut of choice is the boneless, skinless breast.  Quite possibly one of the most boring choices that one could make for dinner, as it is often dry, overcooked and akin to shoe leather.  It doesn't have to be like this!  The quickest and easiest way to correct the inherent deficiencies that are in a chicken breast, namely the lack or flavor and fat, is to introduce fat in the form of butter mixed with desired flavorings.  It makes for a completely different and sophisticated dish.  For the meal pictured, I used fresh thyme and oregano.

All this is different with this method, in comparison to cooking the breasts in a pan under normal conditions, is the need to make a small incision in the side.  Then, using your finger, carefully enlarge the opening in the interior.  Then carefully stuff the buttery goodness into the cavity and cook as usual.

Let rest for at least 5 minutes after taking out of pan.  Then a simple pan sauce can be made with a half cup of wine, deglasing the pan, and slightly reduce.  Then pour over for that extra kick.


We had a decent White Burgundy, the 2006 Rully Primier Cru Rabource from Oliver Laflaive (13% ABV, $21.00) that went well with the meal, but on it's own lacked a bit of acidity and seemed a little over-oaked for the material that the bottle contained.  That being said, it did match well with the buttery nature of the meal and the greenness of the herbs.


Recipe: Herb Butter Chicken Breast

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cube of butter, room temperature
large pinch of fresh thyme, washed and minced
small pinch of fresh oregano, washed and minced
salt, pepper
cooking oil

Trim breasts and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.  Make a small incision in the side of the breast, enlarging it with your finger.  Make a mix of the butter by adding the herbs, salt and pepper and mixing until well combined.  Stuff the breasts with 1/2 of the mixture.  Heat a saute pan over medium high heat, adding oil as necessary.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the exterior of the breasts and place in pan, cooking for about 8-10 minutes per side, or until meat is browned.  Finish browning if desired under a broiler.  Let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving.  Make sauce by adding wine to hot pan, de-glazing and letting reduce for a few minutes. 

Recipe: Smoky Fresh Black Eyed Peas
2 lbs of fresh black eyed peas
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
fresh herbs as desired (I used thyme)

Peel and wash peas.  Place in pot, add spices and salt, and fill with water 1 inch above peas.  Bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered for about 35-45 minutes or until peas are done to the desired amount.