Chicken Dijon

I love finding new ways to prepare chicken. And since I found this recipe, I've made it several times already. I especially like that the vegetables can cook alongside the chicken. It makes for an easy supper, one that almost seems too fancy for a weeknight! 

This is a simpler take on a classic French dish, but the simplicity doesn't mean the delicious factor decreases at all. The lightly pan fried chicken swimming in a delicious creamy mustard sauce, with crispy green beans on the side, is enough to make you start speaking in a French accent. Oiu! 

We enjoyed this with some roasted potatoes as a side. Any kind of potato would work well here; mashed might be nice cause you can use the sauce as a gravy. That's probably not very French, but it is yummy.

So go ahead, expand your chicken repertoire and impress your friends and family with this delicious dinner!

Dijon Chicken

1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
4 chicken cutlets, 1 pound total
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups white wine or chicken broth (or a combination)
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half

1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

Combine flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary in a shallow bowl. Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter starts to foam.

Cook the chicken 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove to a plate. Add minced garlic and 1/2 cup wine or broth to the skillet and stir to deglaze the pan. Stir in the remaining wine, half and half, and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining minced rosemary. Add the green beans and coat with with the sauce as much as possible. Continue cooking on medium low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is done and beans are tender. Serves 4. 

Hawaiian Stir Fry

Stir fries are one of my favorite ways to get lots of vegetables into one meal, and also have a super fast, easy, delicious, dinner. This one is particularly fun due to the addition of pineapple, which adds great color and sweetness to the dish. 

I made this with chicken but I think pork tenderloin would be another good option. You can also vary the green vegetables based on what you have on hand - although I am sure many of you are "swimming" in zucchini right now, and this is a great way to use it!

Once your chicken, vegetables and pineapple are all sliced up, this comes together quickly. 

You should definitely start cooking the rice while you're chopping, otherwise you'll be waiting for it!  This is a great meal to make in the summer that won't heat up your kitchen, and is light and refreshing to boot. It's also great for when school starts and you need a quick dinner between school/work and sports or evening activities.  Enjoy!

Hawaiian Stir Fry

4 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil, divided

1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 cup zucchini, sliced into thin, bite-size strips

1 cup fresh snow peas or pea pods

4 oz. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 chicken breast halves, cut into thin bite-size strips

1 cup fresh pineapple cubes

6 tablespoons stir-fry sauce, plus more for serving

In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm half of the oil til sizzling, then add the chicken pieces. Cook, stirring constantly, until just barely cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Heat the rest of the oil in the pan over medium high heat, then add the onion slices, mushrooms, peas and zucchini. Cook and stir until the onions start to wilt and the zucchini and peas are al dente, only about 3 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low; add chicken to pan along with pineapple. Drizzle the stir fry sauce over the top and stir well to coat all the meat and vegetables.

Serve over rice with additional sauce.