Recipe: Poached Rangitikei chicken breast
Poached Rangitikei chicken breast. Photo / Doug Sherring
I've been working with the RNZSPCA for eight years promoting its Blue Tick scheme. The Blue Tick is awarded to farmers who produce in animal-friendly ways. It is an independently audited scheme managed by the RNZSPCA and gives the shopper assurance that the food they are buying has been farmed to high welfare standards. It started with eggs, added pork and this year launched a chicken programme. Rangitikei Corn-Fed Free-Range Chicken is the first chicken available with the Blue Tick. This chicken has its own flavour and I wanted to keep a recipe simple.
1 Place the chicken breasts in an oven dish and added a slice of lemon to each.
2 Pour a bottle of Heron's Flight Sauvignon Blanc Grape Juice over the breasts, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Gently poach them in a moderate oven.
3 Once cooked, remove the chicken and reduce the poaching liquid to a saucy thickness.
4 Finish with a teaspoon of Lewis Road Creamery butter to give it a shine.
Pour over the chicken and serve with Fresh Grower steamed broccoli.
Producer notes
Heron's Flight, Matakana: Not content with making lovely wine and olive oil, co-owner Mary Evens also prepares Verjus, Quince Ratafia and Grape Jelly. Her son Luke produces stunning grape juices from single variety grapes and adds a sparkle to some.
Fresh Grower, Pukekohe: This family enterprise led by Alan Fong is all about green. The most vibrant baby cos, broccoli, baby bok choy and more were on sale at the show. Well presented and ready to use, and boy does it all look fresh.
I've said moderate oven - 180 oc but hard to get an exact time as the breasts will vary a little in size and if you are cooking 2 or 8 , then the time will vary .
So best to cook for at least 25 mins then check the "cookness" by piercing the flesh to make sure the juices are clear. The meat is well surrounded by the juice so the danger of drying out by overcooking is not such an issue here.