Chicken Breasts with Green Coriander (Cilantro)
Submitted by ydnar
Chicken breasts gently poached in parchment with fresh cilantro, sliced thin and served alongside steamed baby carrots with a sizzling lemon-olive oil drizzle. An elegant dinner for two.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
25 minREADY
1 hrsThis is quiet, confident cooking. No heavy sauces, no bold spice rubs, just clean flavors built from technique.
Chicken breasts are wrapped in parchment with fresh coriander (cilantro), then gently poached so the herb perfumes the meat from the inside out.
Steamed baby carrots keep things light on the side, and the whole plate comes alive when hot olive oil and lemon juice hit the sliced chicken at the table, releasing that bright, herbaceous sizzle.
It’s a dinner for two that feels almost French in its restraint, best served with crusty bread to soak up every last drop.
Chef Tips
- Keep the water at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Gentle heat means silky, tender chicken.
- Wrap the parchment parcels tightly and seal with foil to keep them waterproof. Any leak and you’ll lose those precious juices.
- Let the chicken rest in its wrapper for 5 minutes after poaching. This sets the meat so it slices cleanly into thin, even pieces.
Ingredients
Directions
Skin the chicken breasts and dust them with a little salt and pepper.
Lay each one on a square of baking parchment, flatten it lightly with the palm of your hand and lay a sprig of coriander on top.
Fold the sides of the paper over the meat, excluding as much air as possible, and roll up to make a neat flat parcel.
Then overwrap carefully with foil to make a waterproof package.
Trim and scrub the carrots.
Measure the olive oil into a small saucepan and add a seasoning of salt and pepper.
Coarsely chop a tablespoon or two of coriander leaves (a little less for beginners, a little more for addicts) and reserve separately.
All these preparations can be done well ahead.
About 20 minutes before you plan to serve the dish, start cooking.
Steam the baby carrots.
Drop the chicken parcels, seam side up, into a large pan of boiling water and cook for 13 to 18 minutes depending on the size of the breasts.
Barely a bubble should disturb the surface of the liquid while the chicken cooks.
Transfer the parcels, still wrapped up, to a low oven for 5 minutes to let the meat set.
Blot the carrots dry and arrange them on a warmed serving dish.
Warm the olive oil.
Unwrap the chicken and add just 1 to 2 tablespoons of the juices to the pan of warming olive oil.
Quickly carve the breasts into thin slices and arrange the meat beside the carrots.
Add the lemon juice to the hot olive oil and immediately pour the sizzling mixture over the chicken and carrots.
Scatter with chopped coriander and serve straightway with hot crusty bread to mop up the juices.
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