Pollo Alla Cleopatra

Pollo alla Cleopatra is the kind of dish that has lived on red-sauce Italian-American menus since the 1970s, a white tablecloth chicken entrée that feels more French Normandy than Italian. The sauce is the star: white wine, brandy, stock, and cream reduced around tarragon and capers for a savory, herbal brightness.

Dredging the chicken breasts lightly in flour does two jobs. It browns into a nice golden crust during the initial sauté, and the excess flour that drops into the pan thickens the sauce naturally when the liquids go in. Don’t over-flour, a thin dusting is enough.

Tarragon is a must. Its licorice-anise note is what gives this dish its signature profile. Dried works in a pinch, but fresh chopped tarragon stirred in at the end is a different league.

Let the cream sauce simmer only briefly. Boiling it hard after the cream goes in can break the emulsion and leave a greasy slick on top.

Pro Tips

• Pound chicken breasts to even thickness, this guarantees they cook through in 3 minutes per side without drying out.
• Use dry vermouth if you don’t have white wine, it works beautifully in cream sauces.
• Rinse the capers if brine-packed to control saltiness.
• Finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon if the sauce tastes flat, bright acid wakes it up.

Variations

• Swap chicken for veal scallopini for a more traditional alla Cleopatra presentation.
• Add sliced mushrooms with the green onions for earthy depth.
• Serve over buttered fettuccine or linguine instead of rice for a richer plate.