SAUTEED CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES, OLIVES, AND OREGANO

In my newfound zest for lemon (a former English teacher can never resist a pun), I have been actively searching out recipes that include this ingredient. I've also been eating more artichokes these days--though not stuffed artichokes, one of my faves--rather the more calorie-conscious artichoke hearts. To keep my focus on healthy eating, I try to use one or more of my Weight Watcher cookbooks each week when I plan our dinners. This week I turned to Everyone Loves Chicken, an apt choice since we consume so much of this protein. It was the first time I'd made this dish and it proved to be super fast and delicious served over whole grain pasta. I just cannot eat the whole wheat stuff, but Ronzoni's Smart Choice, which is loaded with fiber, does not have that dreadful texture and taste that characterizes whole wheat pasta. When you rush in the door and want dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, this is your go-to recipe. At just 7 points per serving (that's with 1 cup of pasta!!!), it is a smart choice indeed. If you really want to shave time off your cooking time, be sure to do a mise en place--gather all your ingredients together and do the slicing and dicing, then it's a simple matter to sautee and serve.

Serves 4

4 (4-5 oz) thinly sliced chicken cutlets

1 tsp dried oregano (I also used chopped fresh oregano for garnish)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (I've been using a peppercorn mix lately)

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbs chopped parsley

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and oregano. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Add the broth, artichoke hearts, olives, and lemon juice to the skillet, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until slightly reduced. Stir in the parsley and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

**If serving over pasta, slice each breast on the diagonal, then spoon sauce over pasta and chicken

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This simple, skillet dinner had the bright flavors of the Mediterranean. The briny flavor of the olives alongside the tartness of the lemon juice and the acidity of the artichoke hearts belied the ease with which the dish came together. While I love the lemon artichoke chicken recipe posted earlier, this dish has a completely different, though equally good, flavor.