Provençal Chicken with Brown Rice

Name: Provençal Chicken with Brown Rice
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil; 1 cup (250 mL) uncooked instant brown rice; 1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth; 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil; 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz/125-175 g each); 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt; 1/8 tsp (.5 mL) coarsely ground black pepper; 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste; 3/4 cup (175 mL) water; 1 garlic clove, pressed; 1/4 cup (50 mL) pitted green olives; 2 plum tomatoes

Caramelizing the tomato paste gives this sauce a “slow cooked” flavor.

Ingredients

1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) uncooked instant brown rice
1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz/125-175 g each)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/8 tsp (.5 mL) coarsely ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
3/4 cup (175 mL) water
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup (50 mL) pitted green olives
2 plum tomatoes

Directions

For rice, add oil to (1.5-qt./1.4-L) Saucepan; heat over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add rice; stir until well coated with oil. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, for chicken, add oil to (10-in./24-cm) Sauté Pan; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Season chicken with salt and black pepper. Cook chicken 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn chicken over; cook 3-5 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan to a plate; tent with aluminum foil.
For sauce, reduce heat to medium; add tomato paste to same Sauté Pan and cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until tomato paste is caramelized, whisking constantly with Silicone Flat Whisk. Add water and pressed garlic; simmer 2-3 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken, whisking to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan.
As sauce simmers, cut olives lengthwise into quarters. Peel tomatoes using Serrated Peeler. Remove cores and seeds using Core & More. Slice tomatoes lengthwise into thin strips. Add chicken, olives and tomatoes to sauce; simmer until heated through.
To serve, divide rice between serving plates; top with chicken.

Yield:

2 servings

Nutrients per serving:

U.S. Nutrients per serving: Calories 440, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Carbohydrate 41 g, Protein 32 g, Sodium 1430 mg, Fiber 4 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving:

3 starch, 3 low-fat meat, 1 fat (3 carb)

Cook's Tips:

The Serrated Peeler eliminates the blanching step in peeling tomatoes. The Core & More completely cleans out the inside of the tomato so that the sauce won't become watered down. Cutting the tomato into thin strips gives this dish a rustic but elegant presentation.

Combining instant rice with oil or butter results in better flavor and a firmer texture.