CHICKEN BASQUAISE

Chicken Basquaise

This is a lightened version of a classic dish from the Basque region (southern France and northern Spain). It is perfect for a weeknight meal, particularly if you chop the vegetables ahead of time, and uses a base of onions and bell peppers sauteed in olive oil until very tender. The recipe is from Best of Weight Watchers Magazine, but you'd never suspect it is healthy.

Serves 4
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the paprika, basil, salt, cayenne, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken pieces and toss to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and swirl in the oil. Add the chicken and brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.

Add the onion and peppers to the skillet and cook until the peppers are tender. Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic and the remaining seasoning mix and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes more.

Return the chicken to the skillet, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is heated through, about 10 minutes.

N.I.:  200 cal, 4 g fat, 66 mg chol, 227 mg sodium, 13 g carb, 3 g fiber, 28 g protein
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TASTE NOTES
Served over brown rice, this was a delicious and filling dinner. I had prepped the vegetables earlier in the day so it took less than 20 minutes from start to finish. After our vacation last week, it felt good to in control of our eating again, both in terms of choices and quantity. That said, I would make this dish again even if I weren't trying to shed a few pounds. It was that good.