Vegan Chicken Amandine

Still working on a new computer & with a new camera.

The other day I was looking through our cabinet and decided it was time to use the almond slivers and wild rice I'd been hoarding like some stingy squirrel. I started looking around for a good recipe where these almonds would get a chance to show off a little. Enter the world of Amandine recipes.


See Amandine is a culinary term used to describe several different types of dishes that are garnished with almonds. These dishes range from green beans and rice pilaf side dishes to main course seafood recipes. Here's another crazy thing... there seems to several different takes on what a Chicken Amandine recipe should look and taste like. Some included a light gravy-like cream sauce and some has more of a lemon pepper marinade or rub. One thing they all had in common was that they relied on butter and the fat or grease from the chicken breast to add both flavor and for lack of a better word "juice".


Ours is not only nicer to birds but nicer to you. We replaced the butter and chicken fat with olive oil and used smoked paprika and lemon to flavor our Amandine. Then we included green beans and served it over wild rice to sort of combine all the best Amandines into one remarkable dinner that never had a chance to become leftovers because we had so many helpings that night. 


I assume this recipe would serve 4 normal people but I know it will feed 2 vegans eating to win! 

Vegan Chicken Amandine

• 2-3 Cups Wild Rice (cooked) 
• 2 Cups Vegan Chicken (defrosted and cut into bite sized pieces - we used Gardein's Chick'n Scaloppini breasts)
• 1/3 Cup Raw Almond Slivers
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/3 Cup Green Beans (steamed or defrosted frozen) 
• 1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Marjoram Leaves (dried and crushed)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Crushed Black Peppercorns 
• 1/4 Cup White Wine
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• Dash of Liquid Smoke
• 1 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
• Crushed Pink Himalayan Salt and Crushed Black Peppercorns to taste
• Lemon Peel for garnish 

Make your Wild Rice. 

Heat your Olive Oil and Liquid Smoke in a cast iron skillet over a medium heat. Once your oil is hot, carefully toss in your Vegan Chicken and Almonds. Brown your Vegan Chicken and Almonds in the hot oil. Once your Vegan Chicken has crispy edges, move your Vegan Chicken to a plate and set to the side. 

Carefully add Green Beans, Paprika, Marjoram, Pepper and White Wine to the skillet and blend with your browned Almonds using your spatula. Once your ingredients are blended and begins to bubble, add Lemon Juice, Liquid Smoke and Braggs and blend again with your spatula. 

As it cooks, the sauce will begins to bubble and reduce. Once it thickens a little, toss in your Vegan Chicken and mix all the ingredients so that the Vegan Chicken gets completely coated. Then give your sauce a taste test, add any needed Salt or Pepper and remove your skillet from heat. 

Serve over Wild Rice with some Lemon Peel grated over the top. 

This recipe is squirrel approved.