Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Brandy & Orange Chicken With Stuffed Shrimp -- 08/28/07

Brandy & Orange Chicken With Stuffed Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided, plus a little extra for brushing
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/2 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 ounces (drained weight) fresh lump crab meat (available at fresh fish counter) or 1 5 1/2-ounce can, drained
  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme or poultry seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons ground thyme or poultry seasoning (eyeball it), divided
  • 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) sweet paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 thin slice white bread, toasted and buttered, then diced
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 4 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact (ask for easy peels at the fish counter)
  • 2 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken breast (6-8 ounces each)
  • 2 shots brandy (about 2-3 ounces total)
  • Zest of 1 small navel orange
  • Parsley sprigs and sliced navel oranges, for garnish

Yields: 2 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 1 tablespoon of butter. When the oil/butter mixture melts, add celery, onion and red bell pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the crab meat and season with 1 teaspoon of thyme or poultry seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Fold the diced, toasted bread into the pan. Add parsley, and remove from heat.

Brush a baking dish with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Butterfly the shrimp by cutting along the deveining line, into and almost through the shrimp.

Step


Place the open butterflied shrimp in your hand. Pat the shrimp with melted butter and place a rounded spoonful of the crab stuffing onto the shrimp.

Step


Set the shrimp in the baking dish with the stuffing exposed and the tail upright. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm, and stuffing is browned.

Place a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon EVOO. Season chicken breasts with the rest of the poultry seasoning or ground thyme, salt and pepper. Cook the chicken breasts, skin side down first, for about 5 minutes on each side.

Step


Place in the oven for about 5 minutes if they are not cooked through then remove to a serving plate. Add brandy to the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Add the last tablespoon of butter and orange zest, mix until butter melts and spoon over the chicken. Top each breast with 2 stuffed shrimp and garnish with sliced oranges and parsley sprigs. Serve with Oven-Roasted Broccoli alongside.