Elegant chicken topped with crab, asparagus and hollandaise can be the star of your Oscar Party.

Chicken Oscar

by Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime

Chicken Oscar. What a clever name, and the elegance certainly befits a Hollywood star-studded gala event.

But in fact, this chicken dish has evolved out of a specialty dish made for Oscar II, the King of Sweden, using veal. That dish, Veal Oscar, is traditionally made with veal scaloppine (thinly pounded veal) covered with crab or crayfish and Bearnaise sauce (which is a derivative sauce of Hollandaise flavored with tarragon instead of lemon.) Traditionally, Veal Oscar has been served with asparagus as well, which we also do here.

Chicken is much easier to pound thin if you put it inside a large plastic bag. It also keeps the splatter of raw chicken contained.

White asparagus is the same kind as green asparagus, but when it grows, gardeners heap the soil in mounds around it so that it grows underneath the soil, and since it doesn’t get sunlight for chlorophyll, it has a striking white color, but still has the same delicious flavor.

You can use lump crabmeat in this, but I just bought some snow crab clusters from my fish monger. What I do to get these ready is to place the crab on a baking sheet, spray lightly with cooking spray and bake for 20-25 minutes at 375F. just until it is heated and the shells crisp (since all that is precooked). Baking the shells rather than steaming them or boiling makes them quite a bit easier to crack, in my opinion. I am sure we have all had our headaches with crab shells so waterlogged and flexible they were like plastic drinking straws more than cartilage.

Always use lemon juice fresh squeezed. Never ever be tempted to use lemon juice in a bottle or plastic squeeze fruit. It just isn’t worth it.

Notice the dark rich color of my egg yolks. This is because I purchase pastured organic eggs, which are from free-range, happy, bug eating chickens. The yolks from these birds contain a higher amount of lutein, which is also found in dark leafy greens, such as kale. This gives it that deep color. But these yolks also contain a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids as well. So obviously, more healthy, and you can tell the difference in flavor too. So try to look into getting pastured organic eggs, especially if you can purchase those from a local farmer. It’s not just a fad thing. The farmer needs your business, because if large corporations take care of it, you won’t be getting this type egg.

Note that when you cook the chicken, you don’t really need that much oil- just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. I used a large skillet, so 1/4 cup was necessary, but not all of it was absorbed by the chicken.

The chicken should become a nice golden brown, with an internal temp of 165F when it is done. This should take about 12-15 minutes. If your chicken darkens sooner, turn that flame down! It should be moderate to moderate-low.

I don’t use an ordinary double boiler. Instead, I use a stainless bowl which will nest over a small saucepan. I add water to the saucepan and get that simmering, making sure the water level is not so high as to touch the bottom of the pan. Since I use a stainless bowl, it is easier for me to whisk together the initial ingredients, than place the bowl on the heat when it is time.

Here you can see the stainless bowl being used on the heat as the top of a double boiler, and as the mixture is whisked, chunks of butter are added one at a time. I find that using cold butter keeps the sauce from trying to break as much. This can be a tempermental sauce (it especially does not like to wait to be served so do NOT make it ahead) but really, this recipe does well for me and I have had more luck with the cold butter than other recipes which use melted butter.

Here you can see the sauce thickening up as the last of the butter is added. Note how it becomes lighter in color. It should trail a little bit from the whisk as you lift it. Should the sauce try to break at this point, keep a cup of boiling water handy. If you splash a few drops in and keep whisking, it generally pulls back together. You might even be so unlucky as to have to add drops of water several times, but it should pull through. But don’t worry. I know you will do just fine.

To build the chicken, place the cooked chicken on the plate and top with the crab meat.

Then top the crab with asparagus. You can criss-cross them like so, or just lay them across, whichever you prefer. And since I did cook more than the 6 spears required for the recipe, I used the extra sauce to top more asparagus as a side, since we enjoy lots of vegetables, but you can do whichever way you prefer.

This recipe is in fact French. In fact, I even tried to see if it was one of the recipes Wolfgang Puck ever made for one of his infamous Oscar dinners, but without success. Maybe someone out there knows?

This is very elegant, but even so, it is simple. Hollandaise can see like a frightening thing to  make, but I really have had great success preparing it provided I use the butter cold, in chunks, instead of melted as the original recipe calls for. It is a simple matter of a lot of whisking, not so very different from making gravy really. I use a stainless bowl set over a  pan of  simmering water as my double boiler, just making sure  the water is not so high as to touch the bottom of the bowl. Other than that, this recipe is really easy, and one which will be perfect for any dinner party, Oscar night or not.

I find the asparagus perfect for early spring, although I daresay it is now available year-round. I do hope you enjoy, and it gets votes  for “Best Recipe” at your dinner get together or party.

~Sue

You might also like:

Tapenade Baked Cod

Boursin Style Cheese with Pumpkin Seeds, Figs and Rosemary

Boeuf Bourguignon

Red Carpet Party

As part of the Sunday Supper Movement, I and a host of other food bloggers are pleased to present to you some of our favorite Oscar- Party recipes to enjoy while entertaining special guests or just enjoying the awards show.

Special thanks to  Katie of Ruffles & Truffles for graciously hosting this event and working so hard to make sure all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed. It’s a big group and a ton of work to keep all together! Thanks so much.

And now on to the big event! Check out as many recipes as you would like and be sure to pin those to have for later.

Nominees for Best Supporting Appetizers:

• Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Black and White Olive Cheese Puffs by Peaceful Cooking
• Cheddar Olives by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Chicken Boursin by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Citrus Avocado Shrimp Cocktail by Seduction in the Kitchen
• French Onion Sliders by Momma’s Meals
• Herbed Butter and Cheese Popcorn by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Italian Guacamole with Pesto by Food Done Light
• Lobster Bruschetta by The Texan New Yorker
• Mini Cheese Balls by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Moroccan Beef Kefta Briouat by Manu’s Menu
• Oysters Rockfeller by Noshing With The Nolands
• Pea Pesto Crostini by Ruffles & Truffes
• Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp by Casa de Crews
• Raspberry Brie Bites by Love and Confections
• Roasted Red Pepper Pinwheels by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Smoked Trout Stuffed Baby New Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Spinach Bites by Shockingly Delicious
• Sweet Chili Chicken Skewers by Nosh My Way

Nominees for Best Course in a Leading Role:

• Broccoli Calzones by eating in instead
• Bow Ties and Tails Galore by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Chicken Oscar by Palatable Pastime
• Indulgent Lobster-Champagne Risotto by The Weekend Gourmet
• Oscar Worthy Cantonese Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Rice by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Nominees for Best Supporting Sips:

• Apple Ginger Martini by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Blood Orange Rosemary Spritzer by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cherry Almond Sparklers by Magnolia Days
• Iced Espresso Martini by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Mixed Berry Martini by The Messy Baker
• Red Carpet Sparkler by Rhubarb and Honey
• Thank You Peary Much by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Nominees for Best Delectable Desserts:

• 7-Layer Bark by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Caramel-Almond Latte Ricotta Cookies by What Smells So Good?
• Chocolate Covered Cherries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Decadent Flourless Brownies by Recipe for Perfection
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumble Peanut Butter Mousse Parfait Cups by Wallflour Girl
• Imitation Game Guinness Brownies by NinjaBaker.com
• Mini Strawberry Galette by Basic N Delicious
• Mini Strawberry & Chocolate Cheesecakes by Happy Baking Days
• Popcorn Puppy Chow by Pies and Plots
• Sweet and Salty Popcorn Ball Bites by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Tuxedo Cake by The Redhead Baker