Recipe: Braised Chicken With Cashew Gravy

Cashew butter gives the gravy in this recipe an amazingly smooth richness. It’s a delicious accompaniment to the crisp-skinned chicken breast. Save the extra gravy for another chicken dish.

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups chicken broth (low or no sodium)
½ cup plain unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup creamy raw cashew butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons filtered water
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Trim any excess fat from the tops and sides of the chicken breasts.
2. With a heavy knife or poultry scissors, trim off the small side rib bones for a clean edge. Discard the ribs and excess fat.
3. Over medium heat, add olive oil to a 5½-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pan large enough to hold all of the chicken breasts in a single layer. Combine salt, garlic and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle over the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breasts skin side down and allow them to cook until they have a golden brown crust, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the chicken over.
4. In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the broth, almond milk, cashew butter, mustard and the garlic until smooth. Pour around the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves. Place a lid on the pan and place in the oven. Roast the chicken for approximately 30 minutes or until a digital thermometer reads 160°F to 165°F when inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone. When the chicken is done, remove the pieces to a plate or platter and keep it warm covered with foil.
5. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the water and the arrowroot starch and stir until smooth. Add the arrowroot mixture to the pot with the chicken juices and whisk until smooth. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to cook off the raw taste and for the juices to thicken into gravy. Serve the chicken with a ½ cup of the gravy per person. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Nutritional information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings (analysis includes using 2 tablespoons of gravy)

Calories 340
Fat 23 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 65 mg
Fiber 1 g
Protein 24 g
Carbohydrate 10 g
Sodium 806 mg

— Recipe courtesy of Mark Hyman, MD