While I do love recipes for entertaining, another passion of mine is finding dishes that can be prepared in a minimum of time and don't skimp on flavor. These are real gems indeed, and that's what the "Fast & Fabulous" segment is all about! For all you fans of Mediterranean cuisine, this delightful recipe for Chicken Breasts in Artichoke Olive Sauce delivers all those mouth-watering flavors in thirty minutes or less!This recipe is from Philadelphia Chef Marcie Turney and was featured in the September issue of Food & Wine Magazine. Turney and her business partner own three restaurants, each inspired by a different country including Mexico, the Mediterranean and India. The magazine featured recipes based on each and while I do love Mexican and Indian food, my love of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine prevailed and I had to give this dish a try.
While I love the proportions set forth in the recipe, feel free to take artistic license with it, adding more or less of whichever ingredient you prefer. The delicious artichoke olive sauce features freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic, fresh oregano and chopped kalamata olives complemented by the salty tang of Feta cheese and texture of artichoke hearts. The mixture is then spooned over roasted chicken breasts for a healthy and flavorful meal. Although my husband, Steve is not the biggest fan of olives, I have been determined to convert him and I think this recipe did the trick!
For an added treat, serve this dish with a crisp, racy white wine like a Greek Moschofilero (mo-sko-FEEL-ero). This is a white worth trying if you haven't had the chance already. It's characterized by a vibrant acidity, notes of citrus and spice with a hint of tropical fruit on the finish. Food & Wine recommends the 2010 Domaine Skouras Moschofilero but for those of you who reside in Palm Beach County, the 2010 Boutari Moschofilero Mantinia is readily available at many local wine stores.I hope you enjoy this recipe for Chicken Breasts in Artichoke Olive Sauce as much as we did! It's healthy, flavorful and very easy to make and I am definitely adding it to my regular rotation.Cheers,
"Fast & Fabulous: Chicken with Artichoke-Olive Sauce & Greek Wine Pairing"
Recipe Type: Main course
Author:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
For all you fans of Mediterranean cuisine, here is a delightful recipe that delivers all those mouth-watering flavors in thirty minutes or less.
I came across this recipe for Chicken Breasts in Artichoke-Olive Sauce from Philadelphia Chef Marcie Turney in the September issue of Food & Wine Magazine. Turney and her business partner own three restaurants, each inspired by a different country including Mexico, the Mediterranean and India. The magazine featured recipes based on each and while I do love Mexican and Indian food, my love of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine prevailed and I just had to give this dish a try.
Serve this dish with a crisp, racy white wine like a Greek Moschofilero (mo-sko-FEEL-ero). This is a white worth trying if you haven’t had the chance already. It’s characterized by a vibrant acidity, notes of citrus and spice with a hint of tropical fruit on the finish. Food & Wine recommends the 2010 Domaine Skouras Moschofilero but for those of you who reside in Palm Beach County, the 2010 Boutari Moschofilero Mantinia is readily available at many local wine stores.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Chicken Breasts in Artichoke-Olive Sauce as much as we did! It’s healthy, flavorful and very easy to make and I am definitely adding it to my regular rotation. I would love to hear what you think of it!
Cheers,
Chicken Breasts with Artichoke-Olive Sauce
Total: 20 minutes – 4 Servings
Yummy!
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
One 10 ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry
8 pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the oil, lemon juice, zest , garlic and oregano. Fold in the artichokes, olives and feta; season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken, skinned side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes; turn and transfer the chicken in the skillet to the oven. Roast the chicken for 10 minutes until white throughout. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with the parsley and serve.
Before embarking on a two week exploration of some of France's renowned wine regions, Steve and I spent a few fabulous days in Paris. From food and wine to art and fashion this city definitely has it all! So what to do in this veritable cultural wonderland with only a few short days and so many options? Here's a few of our postcards from "The City of Light."
This trip we stayed at the historic Hôtel de Crillon, one of Paris's six Palace Hotels, located on Place de la Concorde. Constructed in 1758, this hotel is situated in the center of Paris, a great location from which to explore this fabulous city. Directly in front of the hotel is the Place de la Concorde, one of the largest squares in Paris, conveniently situated between the Tuileries and the Champs Elyseés. The square is home to the majestic Luxor Obelisk which was originally located at the entrance to the Luxor Temple in Egypt. The structure was gifted to the French in the 19th century and in 1836, King Louis Philippe had it placed where the guillotine once stood during the Revolution. It is flanked by two beautiful, ornate fountains, the Fontaines de la Concorde. The square also provides a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower at night which I am happy to share with you in the short video below!After arriving at our hotel from the airport on a Sunday morning, we sunk into sumptuous, cozy chairs in the gorgeously appointed lobby to enjoy to enjoy a glass (or two) of Champagne and some delicious pastries including my favorite, pain au chocolat. Shortly after we headed for the Boulevard Raspail Market located in Paris's 6th arrondissement. The market is open three days a week and on Sunday becomes one of the city's marché biologiques, or organic markets, which extends from the Rue de Cherche-Midi to Rue de Rennes. The market featured beautiful stalls of fresh produce, delicious meats, fragrant cheeses and brilliantly colored flowers - it was truly a feast for the senses!
After the market we meandered through Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the charming neighborhood that lines the Left Bank of the Seine and is home to many storied cafés and brasseries including Cafe de Flore (a personal favorite!), Les Deux Magots and Brasserie Lipp. You'll also find an array of specialty food stores including Poilâne, arguably the best bread in Paris, as well as Pierre Hermé, home to mouth-wateringly beautiful confections including delightful mille feuilles, a rainbow of macarons and decadent chocolates.
When planning our itinerary for this trip, I was very inspired by one of my new favorite movies, Midnight in Paris, written and directed by Woody Allen and starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. This movie is a MUST for any Francophile and/or lover of Art History, Literature or Music! I particularly loved the scene at Polidor where Owen Wilson's character first meets Ernest Hemingway and we were able to find it on Rue Monsieur-le-Prince during our walk - it actually looks alot like it does in the movie.
After a mid-afternoon nap, we headed out that evening for a little more exploring and luckily, we didn't have to go far to find another great location from Midnight in Paris - Maxim's was right around the corner from our hotel! Maxim's is an historic Paris eatery established in 1893 which is known for its Art Nouveau decor and reputation for its world class cuisine and famous clientele. Maxim's attracted a slew of celebrities over the years including Jean Cocteau, Aristotle Onassis, Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson as well as Brigitte Bardot, who caused a scandal in the 1970's when she entered the restaurant in her bare feet. In Midnight in Paris, Marion Cotillard's character Adriana is smitten with the idea of La Belle Epoque in Paris and Maxim's is one of the places she desperately wants to visit in order to escape the mundane 1920's. I don't know about La Belle Epoque but it was certainly nice to be there in 2012!
To be continued in Postcards from Paris: Part Deux!Cheers,
We began our second day in Paris with breakfast at the hotel in the legendary Les Ambassadeurs dining room. The sumptuous space, formerly the Count of Crillon's ballroom, is replete with gorgeous Baccarat crystal chandeliers, ornate frescoes and polished marble that beautifully embody the Rococo aesthetic. Built in 1758, Les Ambassadeurs has operated as a restaurant within the Hôtel de Crillon since the 19th century. It reached the height of its popularity as a restaurant and night club in the 1870's when it was frequented by the aristocracy and some of the best known figures of the art world. As a result, it has been portrayed in works of art by Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and was also featured in Ernest Hemingway's memoir "A Moveable Feast." In 2011, the restaurant was re-awarded a Michelin star after losing its two star status in 2010 following the departure of Chef Jean-Francois Piege. The very talented Chef Christopher Hache and his team are dedicated to restoring Les Ambassadeurs to its former culinary glory. I have to say they're doing a pretty fabulous job!
After breakfast we wandered around the city and came across L'eglise de la Madeleine (Church of the Madeleine), a Roman Catholic Church with a long and complicated history. Razed to the ground at three different points during its construction, it was finally built in the Neo-Classical style envisioned by Napoleon who was inspired by the Maison Carée at Nimes, one of the best-preserved Roman temples. Despite Napoleon's plan to have the structure serve as a memorial to the French Army, King Louis XVIII ultimately decided it would serve as a church dedicated to Mary Magdalene which was finally consecrated in 1842.
Further down the street on Place de la Madeleine was Hédiard, a fabulous gourmet grocery store featuring beautiful displays of produce, teas, spices and other gourmet specialties. This Parisian gastronomic institution was founded in 1850 by Ferdinand Hédiard and was born out of his love for exotic produce such as lychee, guava and bananas - the likes of which Paris had never seen! This location is Hediard's flagship store and it was from this very place that Hédiard first sold his fabulous produce to the finest restaurants in Paris as well as his loyal customers. He is even credited with providing celebrated artist Eugene Delacroix, a longtime fan, with his first pineapple. The day we were there was actually the first time I had ever seen fresh red currants which looked like beautiful, shiny, ruby red jewels - thanks, Ferdinand!
Of course, a trip to Paris just wouldn't be complete without a trip to the mecca of fashion: Chanel! While there are quite a few Chanel stores in Paris, the one located at 31 Rue Cambon holds special meaning because it is also the address of Coco Chanel's apartment which is located directly above the boutique. Mademoiselle Chanel didn't actually live in the apartment (in fact, it doesn't even have a bedroom) choosing instead to live at the nearby Ritz Hotel. Every morning before she crossed Place Vendôme on her way to the Rue Cambon boutique she would call to inform them of her imminent arrival so the staircase of her apartment (pictured above) could be misted with Chanel No. 5. I've been trying to get Steve to do that ever since we've been back but so far no luck. What a way to start the day!
The biggest Chanel buzz during our stay in Paris was the brand new 6,500 square foot Chanel boutique at 51 Avenue Montaigne. This store makes a total of three Chanel boutiques on this revered street alone! The new store was inspired by Coco Chanel's apartment and echoed similar elements including textured screens, sumptuous fabrics and a gorgeous stairway with gilded railings and a cascade of pearls dripping from the ceiling onto the white marble floor below. When we arrived there was a crowd of paparazzi out front who were hoping to catch a glimpse of some other shoppers getting their "Chanel on" that day: John Travolta and Kelly Preston. A flurry of activity surrounded their private fitting room while Chanel associates buzzed in and out with armfuls of stunning merchandise. When the couple left, Kelly was wearing a few beautiful new Chanel necklaces and clutching multiple black bags of fabulousness. If John's trying to make up for something I'd say he's definitely headed in the right direction!
After our Tour de Chanel we visited the Musee de L'Orangerie located in the western end of the Tuileries Gardens. This museum is home to a treasure trove of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by artists including Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne, Modigliani and many more. The museum also represents another Midnight in Paris filming location. If you're familiar with the movie, this is where Gil and Inez accompany Paul and Carol for the private showing of Monet's "Water Lilies." Paul, being the pedantic, pseudo-intellectual, Monet expert that he is, proceeds to school the group on the historical significance of Monet's work.
Eight panels of Monet's "Water Lilies", or "Nymphéas" as they are known in France, doreside at L'Orangerie. In 1922 Monet agreed to donate the pieces to the French government with the understanding they would be displayed in specially designed rooms at the museum. However, due to his reluctance to part with them, it wasn't until after his death in 1926 that they were finally installed and displayed for the public. A major renovation took place from 2000-2006 that enabled these historic works to be viewed as Monet had originally intended: under direct diffused natural light. While I was too busy enjoying to take photos of them (sorry!) I did take one of Auguste Rodin's beautiful bronze sculpture "Le Baiser" located on the terrace of the museum.After a busy day exploring Paris we had an early dinner and called it a night before an early train to Champagne the following morning...Cheers,
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