Membrillo, or quince paste is a thick jelly made from the pulp of quince fruit. Popular in Spanish cuisine, it is traditionally served as a small bite with nutty Manchego cheese. Found in most grocery stores in the deli/cheese section, the paste keeps very well in the fridge for a long period of time. One of my favorite ways to use quince paste is not only paired with cheese and crackers, but cooked down into a sweet yet tangy glaze. A lovely glaze for chicken like in this recipe, but also pork–all you need is a small saucepan, some dry white wine, a portion of quince paste and some Dijon mustard. I think this lovely glaze pairs very nicely with fresh rosemary, so I like to add that onto the meat as well.
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Quince-Glazed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:
- (2) boneless, skinless chicken fillets (7-8 oz. each)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 oz. quince paste
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- chopped, fresh rosemary
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season each chicken fillet with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of pepper. In a large oven-proof saute pan melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is browned. Flip the chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes. Place the entire pan in the preheated oven, and cook the chicken for 15 minutes longer, or until it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees.
- Meanwhile, place the wine, quince paste and mustard in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, warm the mixture and break up with a whisk. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper; whisk the mixture until everything becomes incorporated into a smooth, thick sauce. Reduce the heat to low, continue to whisk every couple of minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, pour over the sauce, and sprinkle with the chopped rosemary.
Tagged: chicken, chicken breasts, Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary, quince, quince-glaze, quince-glazed chicken, rosemary, white wine
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