what are we having for dinner?

Chicken with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce

Roasted Garlic Asparagus

Cucumber – Tomato Salad

Chicken with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce (Adapted from damndelicious)

This chicken recipe is just amazingly delicious!  I have shied away from chicken thighs in the past (having never prepared them before) but NO MORE!  They are so flavorful and juicy that I might never go back to boring boneless chicken breasts again! The sun-dried tomato sauce with herbs is simply stunning.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

8 chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless thighs, or you COULD use chicken breasts here in a pinch)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 TBSP unsalted butter, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan, thyme, oregano and basil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle basil over.

Roasted Garlic Asparagus (Adapted from Epicurious)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp onion powder

2 TBSP fresh finely chopped parsley

2 lbs thin asparagus, ends trimmed

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In a small pot, heat the oil, garlic, onion powder, and parsley on medium-low heat. Cook for 3 minutes, until the garlic mixture is fragrant but not browned. Spread the asparagus in a single layer on the prepared pan. Lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle the garlic-oil mixture on top of the asparagus. Roast for 8-10 minutes, until the asparagus are bright green; do not overcook.

Cucumber – Tomato Salad

I found this recipe in a magazine ad somewhere years ago.  It’s pretty basic, but it’s packed with flavor. And it can be made the day before and will be great!

1/2 cup rice vinegar

3 packets of Stevia sweetener (or use 3 TBSP sugar)

3 cups unpeeled hothouse cucumbers, diced

2 cups chopped tomato

1/2 cup red onion

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine the vinegar and stevia. Add cucumbers, tomato and onion.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mix well. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes before serving.