Sunday, September 7, 2008

Easy One Pot Meals: Golden Chicken & Autumn Vegetables

So retro, they almost make me want to have a Tupperware party. I found this recipe on the back of a Swanson's chicken broth container. It is much healthier--no cream of x soup involved, though I have been known to make those meals recently as well.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of chicken broth
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups fresh whole green beans

1. Heat oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it is well-browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

2. Increase heat to high. Stir broth, garlic, rosemary. thyme, potatoes and green beans into skillet. Heat to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Return chicken to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

4. Season to taste.

Variation: Herbed Chicken Dijon with Wine: Add 1/4 cup white wine, 1 ts. lemon juice and 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard with broth. Substitute Yukon Gold for sweet potatoes.

This recipe is so easy and obvious it is almost not a recipe. The sample variation shows how easy it is to vary the flavor with just a few simple changes. I like the one pot aspect. It is a very easy one-step method to cook sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes add sweetness to the meal which is nicely balance with the herbs. I don't know why, but having the sweet potatoes and green beans in the same pot reduces the psychological barrier to cooking them. I always buy fresh vegetables, but sometimes wait too long to cook them. I am getting much better about that and trying to think about what I will use it for as I put it in my cart.

This is a complete meal, but since we are in Korea, I am obligated to remind everyone that you can always as rice as a side to this dish! A green salad would be nice and fresh as well.

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