Croatian Primoštenska kokoš {primošten chicken}

This traditional dish comes from a tiny fishing village which looks like a little Island called Primošten off the Dalmation coastline in Croatia. With it’s gorgeous brightly colored umbrella beaches and cute fishing boats, many interesting dishes including seafood dishes come out of homes and restaurants there.

I will definitely be trying some of those seafood dishes and sharing with everyone here, and if i can’t go visit the beautiful coastline of Croatia I might as well make there delicious cuisine at home.

Primoštenska kokoš is traditionally a more rustic dish, all cooked together similar to the french “Coq au vin” but I have chef’d it up a bit by cooking the carrots and onions separately adding honey to them and making the peas into a yummy puree with basil instead of cooking all the vegetables with the chicken.

Primoštenska kokoš

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

4 Organic Chicken Breasts (fresh not frozen)

6 tbsp olive oil (or oil of your choice)

1 tsp pink Himalayan salt or sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 Tbsp Garlic powder

2 Tbsps Onion powder

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 strip of speck, (bacon) chopped

1 14 oz can organic diced fire roasted tomatoes

2 tbsp capers

1/2 cup water

Honey Glazed Vegetables:

1 Tbsp olive oil (or oil of your choice)

1 14 oz bag of organic frozen pearl onions (if using fresh peel the skins off)

4 medium to large organic carrots, peeled and chopped

2 Tbsps organic local Honey

1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt or sea salt

1/4 tsp Fresh cracked pepper

For the Pea & Basil Puree:

1 10 oz bag of organic frozen sweet peas (you can also you fresh I just had frozen ones on hand)

2-3 Tbsps water

8 large organic Basil leaves

1/4 cup heavy cream (or more if needed) ~ (if dairy free use creamer of choice)

1 small garlic clove

1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt or sea salt

1/2 fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

~For the Chicken~

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place chicken breasts on a plate and season with salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.

Heat the oil in a large oven safe frying pan over medium heat and brown each piece of chicken on both sides. Set back on the plate aside for now.

In the same frying pan fry the speck/bacon until crispy, add the can of tomatoes, water, capers and then the chicken pieces back in to the pan place in oven and allow to simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender or the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees – about 25-30 mins.

~Honey Glazed Vegetables~

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, once oil is hot add the onions, carrots, and honey. stir to coat the vegetables in the honey and then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium until tender about 15-20 mins.

~For the Pea & Basil Puree~

Pour frozen peas a small saucepan with water cook until thawed and mushy. (If using fresh peas fill small sauce pan with water and bring to a boil, add peas and cook on medium heat until cooked through and mushy drain peas.)

Place the peas, basil, cream, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until well smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning if needed (add more salt & pepper) and add more cream if it needs to be thinned slightly. Pour the puree back into the small saucepan and keep warm.

~Plating Step-By-Step~

1) First place a spoon full of the pea puree in the middle of the plate and then put your spoon in the middle of the puree and swipe the spoon in a curve across the plate, make sure the spoon is touching the plate. proceed in licking the spoon!

2) Then place a spoon full of the yummy tomato mix from the chicken pan at the edge of the puree and place one of the chicken breasts on top of the tomato mix.

3) Next take the glazed carrots and onions and sprinkle them with a spoon on the plate wherever you feel looks right ~ or if you could care less what it looks like PILE! those babies on there, because there honey glazed heaven!

4) Next if you would like a fancy plating design place some more of the puree in a squeeze bottle and squeeze little dollops of puree on the plate.

Fancy plating or not this dish is awesome! so enjoy!