This is my Daddykin’s favourite dish 🙂
The real, true, proper version (of which mines completely isn’t) he first tried in a gorgeous little restaurant in St. Anne’s, called Margherita’s. We’ve been there many times and he never deviates from his Pollo Vesuvio, no matter how many times he says he will. I can’t blame him; it’s gorgeous!
So gorgeous, in fact, that I just had to try to recreate it myself. Their description of Pollo Vesuvio is “chicken breast cooked in onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, wine, brandy, cherry tomatoes, Napoli sauce, tabasco and cream”.
I refuse to buy a bottle of brandy, just to use a splash of it in a dish. I don’t drink brandy, so I know the remains will just fester away in the back of my cupboard. Therefore, the brandy is gone from my adaptation. I also use tinned tomatoes for ease of use. Here are all the things you’ll need to create this stupendous dish (my way):
Ingredients (Serves 4):
4 chicken breasts, whole
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red peppers, diced
500g mushrooms, sliced
2 tin chopped tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp sugar
1 glass of white wine
Chicken Stock (1 cube mixed into 100ml boiled water)
1 heaped tbsp dried oregano
1 heaped tbsp dried basil
Tabasco, a generous dash (as much as you can handle!)
50ml cream (room temperature)
Grated Parmesan (a big handful – room temperature)
Make sure everything is all prepared before you start 🙂
Brown the chicken all over, in olive oil, then take out and set aside on a plate.
Fry the onions and garlic for 5-10 mins. Add your red peppers and mushrooms, stirring for a further 5 mins.
Put your chicken back into the pan.
Add your chopped tomatoes, then sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over it (this will get rid of that tangy-ness of the tomato that makes the eyeball twitch).
Add the white wine, chicken stock, basil, oregano and Tabasco, then give it all a good stir.
Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Turn off the heat, put your chicken breasts on their plates, then add your cream and grated parmesan to the sauce. After a good stir, pour it decadently over your chicken breasts. Mmmm.
Best served with tasty roast totties!
One of the great things about this dish, is that there is sometimes leftover sauce (which freezes no bother yay!). Add it to some pasta and smoked sausage. Tastiest. Lunch. Ever.
Have you ever tried to recreate your favourite dish from a restaurant? There’s a starter dish I fancy trying, from the ASK restaurant. It’s crostini with beef tomato, goats cheese, caramelised onions and balsamic vinegar, served with rocket. LLARRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Enjoy 🙂 x
melted reading the 2nd para, that is amazing would love ti try ur version looks luscious!
Thanks, Ananda 😀 it’s one of those dishes that makes you feel like you’re having a “treat” when you make it!
That looks like a real taste bang. It’s quite tempting, normally I’m not big on cream sauces as they’re just too well creamy (that’s true master of the obvious stuff!) – but the tabasco and concentrated stock should sort that.
Nice dish & nice post. X
Haha you’re right enough, this is more of a “tomato-based” sauce rather than a creamy one, in my opinion anyway 🙂 Thanks! x
Brilliant recreation- Margarita’s eat your heart out! Your Dad’s restaurant bills will be halved now!
Thanks Kate 😀 Yes, my Dad’s in his element! They have a Bistecca Steak dish that I am eyeballing too… it’s divine!
what a great dish–the components are pretty basic, but when you put them all together, they make magic!
Thanks, Grace 🙂 I love recipes like that – I’m not really much of a specialised ingredient girl… if it’s not easily available, it’s not getting made (unless it’s really special) 🙂
Hiya Ms Noble
This looks great, I think I will try it out in my slow cooker. 🙂
S 🙂
Why thank ye, Selina 🙂 I’m so chuffed you made it in your slow cooker last night; I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 🙂
Theres no way I could justify buying a bottle pf spirits for one dish either – I’m sure it tasted just as great without it. Does sound lovely –
I love trying to recreate restuarant dishes too. Its a fun game.
Thanks, Rosie 🙂 I now feel like spending the afternoon browsing through restaurant menus, looking for meal ideas. Shame I have to work (but there’s always tonight hee hee!)
Ooh the sauce on that looks so lovely and tasty!
And I know what starter you mean from ASK – its converted me to goats cheese!!
That goats cheese crostini is TO DIE FOR isn’t it, Anne? I was a bit disappointed the last couple of times I went though (they cut their portion sizes right down 🙁 ) so I’ll just have to make it myself, in my greedy portion sizes 🙂
This looks so tasty, no wonder it’s your dad’s favourite!
It is very tasty 🙂 It’s up there in the Top 5 for me too!
Oh wow…I love the look of that sauce. It just looks so good. I’m sure it’d good to go with almost anything….. chips, rice, bread etc etc. Drooling here 😀
Oooh it would be delicious with all of those things, Mary! I love having it with roast totties, like they do in the restaurant. They also serve it with glazed carrots and cheesy cabbage – drooool! 🙂