Um-hmm...busy girls love our Everyday Food. "Why?" ask the uninitiated. Ah, you're about to find out. One night last week I left work exhausted (hey, paper clip sculpture takes a lot of concentration) but I knew I had to produce a home-cooked meal or hang my food blogging head in shame. Martha to the rescue! The smothered chicken was microwaveable and all I had to do was chop an onion and a pepper, and steam some green beans on the side. As Mr. Food Musings leaned in to kiss the cook, I gave myself a pat on the back.
Smothered Chicken
Yield: 4
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 whole garlic head, unpeeled with top 1/4 cut off
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 TBSP tomato paste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
3 TBSP light mayonnaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1. Toss the onion and the oil in a microwave safe dish with a cover. Plop the garlic in the middle, cover and nuke on high for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile...sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Add the red pepper and tomato paste to onions and toss. Throw the chicken on top, thickest part of chicken facing the outer edge (I surmise this helps it cook more evenly). Cover and nuke on high another 15-20 minutes. (The magazine said 10. Mine took 17. It depends on how thick the chicken breasts are.)
4. When the chicken is cooked it will be opaque all the way through. Remove dish from microwave and set chicken on a plate. Put the mayo and lemon juice in a small bowl, then press the garlic out of its skin into the mayo. Mash with a spoon, and stir the mayo into vegetables. Spoon the vegetables onto plates, top with chicken, and serve with rice and/or fresh steamed emerald green beans on the side.
5. Hide Everyday Food under a sofa cushion, spritz your forehead with water, pull some tendrils of hair down and sling a tea towel over your shoulder. Feign exhaustion when your sweetie walks in the door and demand a foot rub as soon as dinner is over.
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