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Duration
45 minutes
Serves
3 to 4
Chef’s notes
This is my wild game take on the classic “marry me” chicken. And while you might get a proposal out of this dish, it will definitely convince a reluctant significant other to tag along on a turkey hunt!
Wild turkey brings a deeper, more savory flavor to this Tuscan-inspired sauce. I particularly like browning the meat and aromatics in a little turkey fat or chicken schmaltz (though butter or oil will do just fine). A squeeze of lemon and the sun-dried tomatoes cut through the richness of the cream and make everything pop.
Serve it with crusty bread to soak up the sauce and pair it with a side of roasted broccolini. It’s the kind of meal that wins people over—at the table and maybe even in the field.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. or 1 large turkey breast
- Schmaltz or oil for cooking
- Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. each of minced fresh rosemary and oregano (or substitute with italian seasoning)
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sun-dried tomato (about 3 oz., dried)
- 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
- Fresh basil and Parmesan to garnish
Also works with
Pheasant
Preparation
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cut off the thin, lower portion of the turkey breast right where it begins to get thick, leaving you with a skinny triangular piece. Set this aside. Next, cut the thick, upper portion in half through the middle (like you’re butterflying it open) and then cut each of those pieces in half crosswise so that you’re left with four rectangular pieces. Use a meat mallet and gently pound those pieces so that they’re even in thickness. The goal is to make sure they cook evenly, not make them into super thin cutlets. In total, you should have 5 pieces of meat: four from the upper portion and one from the lower portion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet or wide, shallow braising pan over high heat. Add enough schmaltz to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, brown the turkey until golden in color on both sides. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding, and don’t let the turkey cook all the way through. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low and add more fat or oil if needed. Sauté the shallot with the herbs and crushed red pepper until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Deglaze the pan with stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, adjusting the heat as needed, then stir in the cream, lemon juice, sun-dried tomato, and spinach.
- Return the turkey, nestling it into the pan as evenly as you can, along with any juices that seeped out during resting. Gently simmer uncovered, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and until the turkey is just barely cooked through, about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook!
- Garnish with fresh torn basil and parmesan. Serve hot with your choice of sides.
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Chef’s notes
This is my wild game take on the classic “marry me” chicken. And while you might get a proposal out of this dish, it will definitely convince a reluctant significant other to tag along on a turkey hunt!
Wild turkey brings a deeper, more savory flavor to this Tuscan-inspired sauce. I particularly like browning the meat and aromatics in a little turkey fat or chicken schmaltz (though butter or oil will do just fine). A squeeze of lemon and the sun-dried tomatoes cut through the richness of the cream and make everything pop.
Serve it with crusty bread to soak up the sauce and pair it with a side of roasted broccolini. It’s the kind of meal that wins people over—at the table and maybe even in the field.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. or 1 large turkey breast
- Schmaltz or oil for cooking
- Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. each of minced fresh rosemary and oregano (or substitute with italian seasoning)
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sun-dried tomato (about 3 oz., dried)
- 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
- Fresh basil and Parmesan to garnish
Also works with
Pheasant
Preparation
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cut off the thin, lower portion of the turkey breast right where it begins to get thick, leaving you with a skinny triangular piece. Set this aside. Next, cut the thick, upper portion in half through the middle (like you’re butterflying it open) and then cut each of those pieces in half crosswise so that you’re left with four rectangular pieces. Use a meat mallet and gently pound those pieces so that they’re even in thickness. The goal is to make sure they cook evenly, not make them into super thin cutlets. In total, you should have 5 pieces of meat: four from the upper portion and one from the lower portion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet or wide, shallow braising pan over high heat. Add enough schmaltz to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, brown the turkey until golden in color on both sides. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding, and don’t let the turkey cook all the way through. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low and add more fat or oil if needed. Sauté the shallot with the herbs and crushed red pepper until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Deglaze the pan with stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, adjusting the heat as needed, then stir in the cream, lemon juice, sun-dried tomato, and spinach.
- Return the turkey, nestling it into the pan as evenly as you can, along with any juices that seeped out during resting. Gently simmer uncovered, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and until the turkey is just barely cooked through, about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook!
- Garnish with fresh torn basil and parmesan. Serve hot with your choice of sides.
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