This robust chicken dish takes advantage of the high-quality flavored olive oils–garlic, basil, rosemary and lemon–found in most supermarkets. These oils pack a lot of flavor. Drizzle them on soups, salads, grilled breads or vegetables to give favorite foods a lift. During warmer weather, grill the chicken, adding a handful of your favorite wood chips to the fire.
Mediterranean chicken
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “Mary Engelbreit’s Queen of the Kitchen Cookbook.”
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon each, plus more to taste: salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably garlic-flavored
1 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, chopped
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. Season the chicken on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the chicken; cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cover to keep warm.
2. Add the broth, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste to the skillet; heat to a boil. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken; cook the mixture until the sauce has begun to reduce and becomes slightly syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place the chicken on plates; spoon the sauce over it. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.
Nutrition information per serving:
245 calories, 46% of calories from fat, 12 g fat, 2.2 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 2.7 g carbohydrates, 30 g protein, 645 mg sodium, 0.8 g fiber
