Seared Chicken Breasts With Cranberry Pecan Butter
By: Yuna Wu
Published: Monday, November 30, 2009 - 2:48pm

Ingredients




Cranberry Pecan Butter:

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
Chicken:

1/2 cup fruity olive oil
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts

Preparation

1 Prepare the cranberry pecan butter: Combine the cranberries, the 1/2 cup of orange juice, the sugar, and orange zest in a small saucepan. 2 Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. 3 Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.  Let teh cranberries cool to room temperature. 4 Puree teh cooled cranberries in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade. 5 Cream the butter in a medium bowl, then beat in teh puree. 6 Beat the pecans into the mixture. 7 Store the butter in teh refrigerator, but bring to room temperature when ready to serve. 8 Whisk together the olive oil and 1 cup oragne juice. 9 Stir in the rosemary and season with salt and pepper. 10 Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade.  Let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. 11 Prepare charcoal or wood chips for grilling. 12 Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and grill them a few inches above the hot coals, basting continually with the letover marinade, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 13 Top each chicken breast with a generous rounded scoop of the cranberry pecan butter and serve.