Italian Chicken with Potatoes and Peppers.
In the past I have voiced my affinity for Italian food, today's dinner although somewhat new to me is no exception. When we think about Italian food images of various types of pasta and tomato sauces come to mind; spaghetti with meatballs, chicken parmesan on a bed of capellini, and tortellini swimming in alfredo sauce. The one thing that struck me about Italian chicken is that even though it has a rich tomato sauce, it doesn't predominantly feature pasta. I'm not saying that you can't serve pasta with it, I am saying that the recipe doesn't call for it and including pasta wouldn't necessarily enhance it.
Beyond it's taste the one thing I like about this dinner is that it's an easy to make, one pot, delicious stew. The two most difficult steps in making Italian chicken are cutting the vegetables and deciding which pot to use. The results are delicious chicken, potatoes, and peppers bathed in the most amazing tomato concoction which could be a soup all on it's own. This is a wonderfully hearty meal that is perfectly suited to cold fall and winter days but can be enjoyed any time of year.
Now that we know that this isn't the typical pasta-based Italian food, let's dive into today's recipe.
Italian Chicken with Potatoes and Peppers
Prep time 15 Min. Cook time 35 Min. Serves 4
Ingredients
2 sprays cooking spray
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large sweet red pepper, or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup red wine, dry
1-1/2 cups store bought marinara sauce
1/2 cup water
Instructions
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and saut'e until golden brown and almost cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes; remove from skillet to a plate.
Off heat, coat skillet with cooking spray again. Add peppers and potatoes; saut'e until vegetables are lightly browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add wine; simmer 1 minute.
Add marinara sauce and water to skillet; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in chicken and any accumulated juices.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
This recipe yields about 1-1/2 cups per serving.
This dinner is a great way to introduce your family and friends to another side of Italian food. I can picture this as a delicious fall-winter dinner, a wonderful Buffet item at a football party, or simply as a tasty year-round dinner to gather your family around. I did state that you don't have to serve it with pasta, I'm not saying you can't, you can if you are so moved. What I do recommend is that you serve it with a hearty whole-wheat bread. If you try this dinner check back here and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.
Next week - Mixed Grill with Apricot-Soy Sauce or Back To Basics.
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