From Pastry to Poultry.
One afternoon in Paris several years ago, we stopped for chocolat chaud at Les Deux Magots, a café known for its patrons who included a glittering list of authors, artists, and performers: Guillaume Apollinaire, André Gide, Fernand Léger, Jacques Prévert, Ernest Hemingway, André Breton, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce, Bertolt Brecht, Julia Child, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, and Simone de Beauvoir. And now, us. We sipped beneath their portraits, in their shadows; I could feel their energy surrounding me. We look forward to returning.
To accompany our hot chocolate that day, we ordered a beautiful pastry called an Ispahan. This dessert was created by Pierre Hermé for Ladurée, the finest purveyor of macarons in Paris (in my humble opinion). It is an exquisite combination of rose, raspberries, and lychee. I decided to combine those flavors in a sauce for a simple chicken breast — Chicken Ispahan. I paired it with Château Léoube’s Singulier rosé — check it out on the Provence WineZine. A perfect pairing for my Valentine and yours!
~ David
Chicken Ispahan
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Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts with skin (6 ounces, each)
- salt
- freshly ground white pepper
- sugar
- 1 pint of raspberries
- 4 tablespoons sweetened lychee purée (see notes)
- 10 dried rose buds, about 2 packed tablespoons (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- raspberries and flowers, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Season the skin side of the breasts with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Flip them and season the other side with salt, freshly ground white pepper, and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. (This is a dry brine.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- While chicken is brining, place raspberries (set aside a few for garnish), lychee syrup, and rose buds in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes. Press through a fine mesh sieve into another small saucepan. Add the heavy cream, stir to blend, and keep warm.
- In an ovenproof skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then place them in the skillet skin side down. Sear for 3-4 minutes, until skin is golden brown. Turn the breasts and place skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. (see notes)
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Place a couple tablespoons of the sauce on one side of two serving plates. Slice the chicken breasts and fan each one onto the sauce. Garnish the plate with raspberries and edible flowers. Serve immediately.
- Serves 2.
- Notes:
- – I used a sweetened lychee purée that I purchased from Total Wine; it’s considered a cocktail mixer.
- – You can purchase organic dried rose buds from health food stores or Middle Eastern/Persian groceries. Make sure they are really fragrant.
- – If your chicken breasts are larger, you will need to give them more time in the oven. Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
- – You can leave off the chicken skin, if you prefer.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Barb
February 3, 2024 at 8:23 amHow beautiful! You have created Spring on a plate!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:15 amI love that, Barb — thabks!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
February 3, 2024 at 8:49 amSuch a lovely presentation, this would be perfect for Valentine’s day.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:15 amI think the plating was the hardest part, Karen — how died one make a chicken breast look sexy?
Gerlinde de Broekert
February 3, 2024 at 9:09 amWhat a gorgeous dish David. It’s perfect for Valentine’s day. I remember the Les Deux Magots cafe. You are right, it is time to go back.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:15 amIt is definitely time to go back, Gerlinde — very soon, in fact! I’m glad you like the recipe — thanks!
Mad Dog
February 3, 2024 at 11:22 amStunning presentation and I bet it tastes as good as it looks!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:11 amThanks, Nad Dog — it really does!
Susan Manfull
February 3, 2024 at 11:58 amFabulous meal! Les Deaux Magots would LOVE to have this dish on their menu! It pairs perfectly with a rosé and Château Léoube’s Singulier rosé has few rivals — a wonderful companion but other dry rosés like those from Provence and from a few producers in California (e.g., Acquiesce Winery where an outstanding rosé is crafted in in the style of those in Provence) will be excellent mates for your Chicken Ispahan!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:11 amThanks, Susan —I’m hope you get to try this version of the chicken. (Note — early iterations of this were made for Susan and her husband, who provided the wine!)
Eha Carr
February 3, 2024 at 2:47 pmVeryinviting!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:10 amThanks! 🙂
sherry
February 3, 2024 at 3:30 pmthis sounds so lovely David. I’ve always loved that combo of flavours. I’m wondering tho with the sweetened lychee puree ? – lychees are so sweet already – not too sweet in the end result? Mmm do you find people are using chatgpt (or whatever it is) to comment on your blog? I have noticed it is becoming a ‘thing’, and I have seen it on my own blog. it just seems so unnatural to me; not like a real person. I guess I’m just ‘old school’.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:10 amI had to use the sweetened lychee syrup because I can’t find fresh lychees (my preference) here in Tucson. I will definitely try them if I find them!
As for the AI generated comments — yes, lots of them, but they get caught by my my spam filter. It’s amazing what they will say!
Mimi Rippee
February 4, 2024 at 7:08 amGorgeous. I love the story. Hopefully your photos are hanging in Deux Magots! Or at the very least, a photo of your chicken Ispahan. It’s such an odd word – doesn’t even sound French! But who’s to argue with Hermé. A beautiful dish.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 4, 2024 at 8:08 amHaha — I don’t think you will see us or the chicken in Les Deaux Magots! I think the history of the name is based on the Persian city of Isfahan, but I will confirm that when in Paris this spring.
Ronit
February 4, 2024 at 9:58 amGreat flavors in this sauce, with just so few ingredients, and the color is stunning! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
February 7, 2024 at 1:53 pmThanks, Ronit — the color was one of my inspirations!
The-FoodTrotter
February 7, 2024 at 2:45 pmWow that’s quite a bold recipe! I love it,I bet the flavours must be very intriguing
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2024 at 7:15 amI love the flavors of the Ispahan pastry — so why not? I’m glad you like it!
Velva
February 8, 2024 at 9:36 amDavid, I know I’ve said it on your Instagram and Facebook post. This dish is stunning. Almost too pretty to devour. This plate is a work of art.
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2024 at 7:15 amThanks so much, Velva. Making the plate so beautiful makes the diner forget they are having a simole chicken breast!
Valentina
February 8, 2024 at 11:45 pmI can’t decide which plate is more beautiful, this one, or the scallops with blood orange sauce you made a few years ago, which I spotted today on Instagram. I think it’s a tie. Both are lovely for Valentine’s Day. 🙂 ~Valentina
P.S. I’m sorry sometimes I leave a handful of comments at once. I get behind when I’m busy, but it’s so fun to spend an evening catching up.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2024 at 7:17 amValentina — I love all your comments whenever you stop by. I know how life can be and have been guilty of that myself. I think you need to try both dishes — I would love to know which you like better!
Antonia
February 9, 2024 at 4:17 amI love chicken, and that chicken recipe of yours sounds magnificent. I think I will try it myself. Thanks for sharing
Cocoa & Lavender
February 10, 2024 at 7:17 amThank you so much, Antonia! I hope you enjoy it.
angiesrecipes
February 10, 2024 at 9:24 pmWhat a beautiful dish! I would have never thought of using raspberry sauce for chicken…really creative and yummy, David.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 11, 2024 at 12:38 pmThe combination of the sweet, tart, and floral makes this all work, Angie! Thanks!
Raymund
February 14, 2024 at 3:18 pmYour Chicken Ispahan recipe is a true culinary masterpiece! I can only imagine the burst of flavors from the raspberries, lychee, and rose buds, combined with the tender chicken breasts, Yum…. I am loving this falvours
Cocoa & Lavender
February 15, 2024 at 9:55 amThank you, Raymund. You’re very kind. It’s a really wonderful dish, and actually quite simple.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
February 18, 2024 at 4:52 pmHow fabulous! I have never had an Ispahan macaron, but I love the combination of flavours and I’ve used it for creating cocktails and sauce for crepes. But savoury recipe with chicken? What a phenomenal idea. I’m a huge fan of floral notes in recipes, but I never would have thought of combining it with poultry. Saving to try this!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2024 at 11:13 amIt was a nice surprise, Ben. My first attempt included demiglace and that made it quite dark (good, but dark). This version is like spring on a plate!
Inger
March 19, 2024 at 9:42 pmOh the color on this! My oldest is crazy about rose flavor. She’d be over the moon for this!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2024 at 11:13 amThat is wonderful about your oldest — so many people just think “hand lotion” ‘when they hear rose.
Christina Conte
March 28, 2024 at 6:52 pmSuch a beautiful presentation, David, but I am not surprised. Lovely dish, especially for a special occasion!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2024 at 11:15 amIt was fun bringing this one about, Christina. The experimentation may continue.