Blast from the Past: Exotic Erotic and our House Chicken

After a week of steak in Alberta (summer 2006) we'd had enough of meat for awile; ever since we've been primarily vegetarian at home when cooking just for the two of us (the exception: a few slices of bacon never hurt).

But, back in Toronto (1999-2001) meat was still on the menu, and we were rather fond of this romantically-named "Exotic Erotic Chicken." It remains unclear to me the precise connection between this name and the dish, but here it is, since we are still so close to Valentine's Day:

Exotic Erotic Chicken

Step 1
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon each, cayenne, ginger, nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon each, basil, chervil, pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4-6 chicken breasts, skin removed

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large frying pan, over medium flame, melt butter. Put flour, spices and herbs in plastic bag and shake. Add chicken, one piece at a time, shaking to coat. Add chicken to pan and brown on all sides. Drain chicken on paper towels, then place in a baking dish (or return to pan after making sauce below in the chicken pan).

Step 2
21 large cloves garlic, minced
5 mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 artichoke hearts, quartered
1 cup sour cream

Add garlic to pan: sauté 2 minutes. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, sherry and artichokes. Heat through and pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour (or cook in heavy-bottomed pan on stove). Stir sour cream into sauce and ladle over the chicken to serve.

We soon invented our own "house chicken," though, which we still make on occasion for friends. We usually take boneless, skinless chicken breast, layer fontina, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and garlic (sliced) between the "filet" and the larger section of the breast (you can cut into the breast as well to get the same effect) so as to make "stuffed" chicken breasts. A little salt and pepper, fresh lemon and olive oil make the sauce, and the whole pan (stuffed breasts brushed with sauce) goes in the oven at about 350, covered in foil. We usually take the foil off after about 20 minutes-half an hour so that the breasts brown a bit, and then we use a meat thermometer to gauge when it is well-done. Don't overcook the chicken, though, or it'll get really dry since the breasts are so lean.

This was a real hit with our friends years ago, but I wonder if we would enjoy these dishes as much now as we used to, back before we got indoctrinated in the world of Berkeley food?