For the potato recipe, chop the mushrooms and garlic together. The easiest way to chop garlic in a food processor is to add the garlic through the feed tube while the blade is running.
Helpful Hints
If your paprika is more than six months old, buy a new bottle. The flavor will be fresher.
The sauce can be pureed in a blender or strained through a food mill, if you do not have a food processor.
Countdown
Start potatoes.
Start chicken.
Complete potato dish.
Puree chicken sauce.
Fred Tasker’s wine suggestion: A chicken dish enriched by sherry and spiced with paprika calls for a red wine, if you ask me. A nice, spicy, red zinfandel, maybe.
Shopping list
To buy: 2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 1 large red bell pepper, 3/4 pound Red Bliss potatoes, 1/4 pound mushrooms and 1 bottle dry sherry.
Staples: Olive oil, minced garlic, onion, paprika, fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth, salt and black peppercorns.
Red Pepper Chicken
2 5-oz. boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove visible fat from chicken and place between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound each breast flat with the bottom of a heavy pan or meat bat. Sprinkle paprika on both sides of chicken and press in with a spoon. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken, about 2 minutes per side. If chicken is thicker than 1/2 inch, cook another minute. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Cook, covered, 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and sherry and cook another 2 minutes, covered. Remove from pan and puree the sauce in a food processor, blender or food mill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the chicken. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 330 calories (20 percent from fat), 7.3 g fat (1.4 g saturated, 2.9 g monounsaturated), 126 mg cholesterol, 40.8 g protein, 15.5 g carbohydrates, 3.4 g fiber, 107 mg sodium.
Sauteed Potatoes and Mushrooms
3/4 lb. Red Bliss potatoes
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2-cups coarsely chopped mushrooms, (about 4 mushrooms)
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash potatoes, do not peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a small pan and cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and boil potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Drain. In the same pan, heat olive oil and add mushrooms, garlic, and potatoes. Saute 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 175 calories (25 percent from fat), 4.9 g fat (0.7 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.0 g protein, 30.0 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber, 35 mg sodium.
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