Flavor Chicken Breasts With Veggies, Mushrooms

Fresh vegetables and wild mushrooms flavor chicken breasts in this light variation of a traditional French stew. For ease and speed, I have added rice to this recipe so the entire meal can cook in one skillet.

Leaving the bones on the chicken breast helps to add flavor to the sauce and keeps the chicken moist. Mushrooms and a hint of nutmeg lend an intriguing flavor without adding fat.

Many supermarkets are now carrying several varieties of wild mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms, which have a dark brown cap and a meaty flavor, are available almost year-round, although they are most plentiful in autumn and spring. If unavailable, use another type of wild mushroom or a mixture of button and wild mushrooms.

Chicken Fricassee

1-1/4 pound chicken breast with bone (without wing), skin and fat removed

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion sliced, (1 cup)

2 stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)

3 medium cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1-1/4 cups defatted, low-salt chicken stock, divided

1 small red pepper, sliced, (1 cup)

4 ounces sliced shiitake or other wild mushrooms (1-1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 French baguette

Preheat oven to 300 degrees to warm bread.

Remove skin and as much fat as possible from chicken. Cut into 6 pieces, leaving meat on the bone.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Brown chicken about 1 minute on each side. Add onion, celery and garlic and saute 1 minute.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir until dissolved. Add rice and 1 cup stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook gently 10 minutes.

Remove chicken and continue to cook rice, covered, 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock in a small nonstick skillet and saute red peppers and mushrooms until soft, 5 minutes. Place bread in oven to warm.

When rice is finished, return chicken to pan and add lemon juice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spoon in pepper and mushroom mixture and toss. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with warm French baguette.

Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 849 calories, 13 grams fat (14 percent fat calories), 71 grams protein, 115 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 145 milligrams cholesterol, 384 milligrams sodium.)

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, RECIPE - On the Light Side