Chicken With Bell Pepper Ragout Recipe

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pan-Fried Chicken With Ragout

May 16, 2011

Have you already enjoyed these fast chicken dinners? If you have, here is your next one to try! It's a simple pan-fried chicken topped with a bounty of bell peppers and tomatoes that will surely leave everyone at your table satisfied. The tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions are quickly roasted in the oven before being mixed with a thick garlic paste. The chicken is lightly floured for a crisp texture and juicy flavor. For an even shorter cook time, I used chicken strips. Once the chicken is cooked, it's topped with the warm ragout and fried capers, for extra salty goodness. Served with brown rice or a side salad, it makes a great meal. Say goodbye to boring chicken dinners and get this recipe.

Fine Cooking

Chicken With Bell Pepper Ragout

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb. ripe plum tomatoes (6 to 8), cored, halved lengthwise, and seeded
1 medium red or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into cutlets
2 Tbs. nonpareil (small) capers, rinsed and patted dry

Directions

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high.
Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the tomatoes cut side up on one side and the peppers and onion on the other side. Drizzle everything with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil and sprinkle with the cayenne, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Toss the peppers and onions. Broil until the tomatoes are collapsed, about 7 minutes. Flip the tomatoes, toss the peppers and onions, and broil until the tomato skins have large black spots and the peppers and onions are tender, about 5 minutes more.
Use tongs to pull the skins off the tomatoes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board. Put the peppers and onions in a large bowl; add the garlic paste. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl with the other vegetables. Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put the flour in a shallow pan. Season the chicken with 1-1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; dredge in the flour. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken, flipping once, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving plates. Wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and fry the capers over medium-high heat until they pop open and become crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle them over the chicken. Serve with the ragout.

Serves 4.