Grapefruit Chicken

Velouté of potiron (pumpkin) with foie gras garnish.*

Just yesterday I posted a new picture of my cheese soufflé — probably the last one of the season.  Since the days are getting much warmer, I don’t use the oven as much.  I often, however, feed what seem like hoards--friendly hoards, I'm glad to say.  And since we’re not red meat eaters, I make a lot of chicken, turkey and fish using a dizzying array of recipes—most involving wine, freshly-ground black pepper and olive oil (sometimes butter).  I found this particular recipe some time ago and copied it into my leather-bound recipe journal.  I’d like to give credit to the person who published it, but I haven’t a clue where it came from.  I freely admit that I didn’t invent it.I can't imagine what took me so long to try it.  It’s hands down the best chicken breast recipe I’ve made in a long time.  And it’s easy, of course.  What chicken breast recipe isn’t, frankly? 

Here are the ingredients and the recipe for two (a quantity I rarely use.  I double only some of the ingredients for additional people--not quite double the butter, for example.):

2 chicken breasts

2 T olive oil

¼ c. dry vermouth (or white wine)

Fresh ground pepper (of course)

1 pink grapefruit—rind cut off and sections removed

Fresh parsley, chopped

2 T butter

One small onion, sliced thinly

One garlic clove, scored

In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil.  Brown the chicken breasts on both sides.  Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and browned.  Add vermouth and pepper.  Turn heat to low and cover the pan.  Cook until chicken is cooked through—about 20 minutes.  Remove chicken to serving dish.  Reduce liquid by about half.  Set aside four slices of grapefruit.  Add butter, remaining grapefruit sections and juice to the pan.  Cook for five to 10 minutes on medium-low heat.  Plate or serve chicken with juice and two grapefruit sections atop each chicken breast.  Sprinkle with ground pepper and chopped parsley. 

I cooked this in an enameled cast iron pot on medium-low heat (I love that pot!) and served it with risotto and salad.  Son Patrick, his girlfriend and my husband raved.  And both Patrick and his girlfriend asked for the recipe.  That’s high praise.  

*Since I couldn't find a photo of a grapefruit in my folder and don't have one to photograph, I've added one of the Christmas dinner courses from Frejus, France.