Garlic Chicken in Little Italy
When we lived in New Jersey we would frequently zip over to Little Italy in Manhattan for dinner.
Our most favorite restaurant was this little place on Mulberry Street called the Grotto Azzurra -The Blue Gratto in English.
It was opened in 1908 by a family of Italian immigrants and was named after the Blue Grotto. Which is a cavern on the isle of Capri, just offshore from Naples, Italy.
When we were going there it was one level below street level and only had about 10 tables.
Frank Sinatra used to go there when he was in town. We never were there when Sinatra was. We just heard about him.
There were always a few “mob” looking types. And, you did not make eye contact with them.
When we got seated the server would immediately put a pitcher with some slices of oranges and lemons in it on the table. Then, pour in a bottle of red wine. It then became “Sangria”. No questions asked, they would just do it for every party that came in.
I would almost always order the Garlic Chicken. It was, like so many good Italian recipes, simple and made with just a few fresh ingredients.
We had our choice of either breast or thigh. It was served skin on and bone in. It had been marinated in a garlic and oil mixture for at least a few hours, more likely over night.
Dredged in flour and sautéed in good olive oil with sliced garlic added at the last minute of the frying process.
It would arrive with the garlic slices spooned over the chicken and topped with some chopped parsley and with just a little taste of lemon.
It was fantastic!
After Dinner
After dinner we would find our way around the corner to Ferrara’s Bakery and Cafe and have some of their world class Sfogliatella and/or……
…..Cannoli
with their made to order espresso that was brought to the table in the pot that was just made in and if you asked nice and had a history of tipping good a little Sambuca would magically appear in the bottom of your cup.
We don’t have time to marinate the chicken like they did at the Blue Gratto so let’s do it like this.
You can get pre trimmed and flattened chicken breasts in the grocery store or you could butterfly your chicken breasts and flatten them a little while wrapped in glad wrap or in a big zip loc bag.
For quick and easy I always have some of the pre trimmed version in the freezer and just thaw them out in the microwave.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 6 cloves garlic – chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1/2 large fresh lemon
And here is how to cook up your Garlic Chicken
Put a skillet on at medium high and swirl in enough olive oil to cover the bottom.
Salt and pepper both sides of the breasts and pan fry them in the skillet for about 2-3 minutes a side.
When the liquid sneaking out of the breasts is clear and they are firm to a finger poke or they read 165°F on a meat thermometer – remove them to a plate that will catch the drippings.
While the chicken is cooking chop up the garlic cloves and the parsley leaves. Have the fresh lemon ready.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, let it melt and put the garlic in the skillet. Give the garlic just a minute or just until it starts to become fragrant. Put the chicken breasts and the drippings back in. Squeeze the lemon juice in and toss in the rind. Turn them and spoon the butter and garlic on them as they warm back up.
When the chicken is warm, almost hot to the touch put in the parsley and do a little more of the turning and spooning.
Serve it up! Bene Appetito!
I put together some sautéed spinach as our veggie tonight and since we had some garlic and good extra virgin olive oil on hand (always) I had some pasta aglio e olio. Gammy eats gluten free so I put together some “spaghetti squash aglio e olio” for her.
Chianti was our vino of choice to go with our Little Italy Garlic Chicken.
Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 and 1/2 dried
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1/4 fresh lemon
Instructions
- Salt and pepper both sides of the breasts and pan fry them in the skillet for about 4-5 minutes a side. When the liquid sneaking out of the breasts is clear and they are firm to a finger poke remove them to a plate that will catch the drippings.
- While the chicken is cooking chop up the garlic cloves or just go with that pre chopped version that you can find in the produce section and chop up the parsley leaves. Have the fresh lemon ready. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, let it melt and put the garlic in the skillet. Give the garlic just a minute or just until it starts to become fragrant. Put the chicken breasts and the drippings back in, squeeze the lemon juice in and toss in the rind. Turn them and spoon the butter and garlic on them as they warm back up. When the chicken is warm, almost hot to the touch put in the parsley and do a little more of the turning and spooning.
