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Chicken Breasts alla Mugnaia with Myrtle

17/11/2023

Here is a personalized recipe to prepare chicken breasts alla mugnaia with a touch of myrtle that brings an interesting twist to the dish with its aromatic notes of the Mediterranean scrub. Myrtle, being a typical ingredient of Sardinia and other Mediterranean areas, is not commonly used in the classic mugnaia preparation, so this is a creative variation.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless)
  • Wheat flour, as much as needed for flouring
  • 50 grams of butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil, a few tablespoons
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 50 ml of dry white wine
  • 2 sprigs of fresh myrtle (or 1 tablespoon of myrtle berries if available)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Preparation

  1. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

  2. Lightly flour the chicken breasts, shaking off the excess flour.

  3. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Once done, remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and set them aside to keep warm.

  4. In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, letting it melt slowly.

  5. Add the myrtle sprigs (or berries if using those) to the melted butter, letting the herbs release their aroma for about a minute.

  6. Pour the white wine and lemon juice into the skillet, turning up the heat slightly to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Let the sauce reduce for a few minutes, until it reaches a slightly creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

  7. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, coating them with the sauce, and let them flavor for another minute.

  8. Plate the chicken breasts, drizzle with the remaining myrtle sauce, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Curiosities

The “alla mugnaia” dish has French origins (meunière in French means “miller”) and traditionally involves the use of flour to coat the main protein, usually fish or meat, which is then cooked in butter. The addition of myrtle gives a harmonious and slightly wild note to the recipe, bridging Italian and French cuisines and adding a charming aromatic depth to the dish.

Remember that myrtle is used both in culinary preparations and in the production of liqueurs, so, if you love this particular flavor, you might want to explore other recipes or even try making homemade myrtle liqueur!

Chicken Breasts alla Mugnaia with Myrtle