Chicken? That's a Challenge.

Yes, it is true. I love to cook, but coming up with a recipe that involves chicken breasts served by itself (not cut up and put into pasta/jambalaya) is always a challenge for me. Tonight I took that challenge head on. I had time to make dinner tonight, and something that I do not normally make.

I had red potatoes, orange cauliflower and garlic that I bought at the farmers market last weekend. I decided to use all three of those ingredients at once. Roasted cauliflower is a favorite in our house. When I make it, I'll put the recipe up, but for tonight it was roasted potatoes and cauliflower.
4 large red potatoes
1 small head of cauliflower
4 large cloves of garlic
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1. pre-heat your oven to 400.
2. pour 1 tsp olive oil into the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan
3. chop the garlic cloves and put it into the pan
4. cut up your cauliflower and dice your potatoes (1/2 inch chunks) and put them into the pan.
5. sprinkle salt (I only use kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper over the cauliflower and potatoes
6. drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the cauliflower and potatoes and then toss the cauliflower and potatoes
7. cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 mins. Then remove the foil and cook for another 20 mins.
8. Let sit for 5 mins uncovered and serve

With this I served a boneless, skinless chicken breast. I was at work today and I had no idea how I should make chicken. My co-worker suggested thyme and pepper. I took it a step further. Even the spouse said the chicken was good. For those who do not know he typically really dislikes plain chicken, so this is a HUGE accomplishment.

1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Put these ingredients in a plastic bag and mix together. Then pour 1 tsp olive oil in the bag and mix the ingredients together.
2. Put 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the plastic bag and smoosh the mixture around to spread over the chicken breasts. Let sit for 10 mins.

3. Meanwhile put the following into a pan:
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp butter
black pepper

4. Cook wine, butter and pepper over medium heat for a minute past the butter has melted. Then add the chicken to the wine.
5. Cook chicken for 5 mins on each side, then flip chicken every 2 mins until you have cooked the chicken for 20 mins over medium heat.

I served the chicken with the roasted potatoes and cauliflower along with a glass of sangiovese from Miner Family winery in Napa. Excellent wine.

Overall, a successful dinner! Everything was consumed and enjoyed.

Tomorrow night I am out for dinner, so I won't blog again about my dinner until Friday, maybe.

Until then. Good Eating!