Baked Chicken with Garlic and Sun Dried Tomatoes

I simply love to cook there is no doubt about it.  I have not changed simply because I can no longer eat some of the comfort foods that I have prepared for so many years.

I have tried to alter some of those recipes to make them healthier alternatives.  I will share one of them today :

This recipe has over 20 cloves of garlic in it which become sweet and mild when roasted.  I think Garlic is my favorite spice by far!  I love it roasted and any other way as well.  

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, cut into 4 oz portions
1 oz vegetable or olive oil
20 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium yellow or white onion, cut in half root to tip then sliced thin
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped, (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
white pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat dry. Crush two of the 20 garlic cloves.

Place an ovenproof skillet over moderate heat. Once warm add oil. Once oil is hot, add crushed garlic to pan then place chicken in the pan on top of the garlic. Toss in remaining garlic cloves.

Cook chicken for about 8 minutes or until it will release itself easily from the pan then flip to cook the other side. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the skillet. Set aside.

Place onions and tomatoes over the caramelized garlic. Allow the onions and tomatoes to sweat in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and add wine. With a spoon stir the pan to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This deglazing technique will remove the flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan and release it to the vegetables.

Add chicken back to the skillet. Add stock just until the liquid level reaches halfway up the sides of the chicken. Add oregano and pepper to taste. Cover with tight fitting lid and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes.
If you purchase stock it usually does not contain salt. Broth does contain salt. If you choose stock you may want to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt with the herbs and spices.

Wondra, a superfine flour, is a great pantry item. It is a sauce thickener. If you would prefer a sauce with the dish; remove the meat and vegetables from the skillet. Combine 1 tablespoon of Wondra with 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk mixture into skillet over heat. Whisk until sauce thickens.


Number of Servings: 4