Romano Chicken Breasts with Tasso Cream
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup mayonnaise, plus more if needed
  • 2 cups finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Richard’s Pork Tasso
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
  2. In a large cast-iron skillet or heavy baking pan, coat the surface with olive oil.
  3. Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slather the top of each with a generous coating of mayonnaise. Sprinkle (or roll) the chicken with the Romano cheese until it is thickly coated. Place the chicken into the skillet and bake uncovered until the internal temperature registers 170ºF in the thickest part, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the chicken on a platter to rest.
  4. In the same skillet, use a wad of paper towels to wipe the bottom of the pan and absorb most of the grease from the mayonnaise. Over medium-high heat, add the butter and let melt.
  5. Remove the tasso from the package and chop into thumb-size slices.
  6. Add the tasso to the pan and, with a spatula, scrape up the bits of chicken and cheese from the bottom of the skillet. Keep moving the tasso around the pan and cook just until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
  7. Add the cream and stir it around the pan. As it bubbles and releases steam, you will begin to see it thicken; keep stirring. Add Cajun seasoning and black pepper along with the basil and thyme. Once the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, add the chicken back to the pan. Once the sauce is simmering, move the pan to the center of the table and serve family style with lots of French bread for sopping.
Notes
Salt is unnecessary in this recipe because both the cheese and the tasso have added salt. Richard’s Cajun Foods Pork Tasso is readily available in Louisiana, or you can buy it online here. Also, be sure to check out Richard’s wide selection of smoked sausages and other products available for purchase online at Cajungrocer here. Pecorino Romano is my favorite for this dish, and I grate it fresh in my food processor; it makes a big difference in this recipe. If you’re on a low-carb, Keto diet, this recipe works well. This dish would be delicious over a mound of fettuccine pasta.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://acadianatable.com/?p=28686