Merlot Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms



"This is the best dinner you ever made. It is my all-time favorite."

"Is this all you made? Where is the rest of it? You need to make more next time."

"It tastes just like pizza, but without the crust."


-- The Husband

Usually I am happy if I get an "it's good" comment about the dinner I prepared for my family. Last night, the dialogue was flowing. Merlot Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms is a one pot entree I developed about 15 years ago and prepared with ingredients that are pantry staples in my kitchen. At the time, a trip to the grocery store was the last place I ventured with 2 toddlers and a preschooler. If it wasn't the park, Chuck E. Cheese, or McDonald's Playland, I preferred to keep exciting trips to Albertson's, Target or Trader Joe's all to myself.

Thinly sliced chicken is enrobed in a vegetable-loaded sauce of fire roasted tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green olives, and mushrooms and livened up with Merlot and balsamic vinegar. A perfect dinner that can be made early in the day or even the day before and reheated at dinner time.

Just be sure to make extra so your can enjoy it for lunch the next day.



Merlot Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms

serves 6

olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 2 - 2 1/2 pounds, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 ounce) fire roasted tomatoes
1/3 cup Merlot wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 can (14 ounce) artichoke hearts, quartered
3/4 cup green olives stuffed with pimientos
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound of spaghetti, cooked and drained (sub rice or gluten free pasta)
Parmesan cheese, shredded, for serving

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan to medium high and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken and quickly saute until just cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion for 4 - 5 minutes until they just begin to become translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and balsamic vinegar and simmer the sauce for about 6 - 8 minutes or until reduced by about a third. Stir in the artichokes, olives, and basil and continue cooking until just heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with hot spaghetti and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.


Disclaimer -- As we head into the dark and cold days of winter, my artificially-lit photos may be sub par. Unless I prepare dinner early in the day and the sun happens to be shining, please be assured that my recipes will still be quick and tasty as previous ones even with less than stellar photos.

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16 comments:

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

I make something very similar using chicken thighs. Love the one pot meals.

Marlis said...

Mmmm, that looks good. I make something similar but with baby lima beans. My husband was appaled at the idea of using red wine with chicken but the results speak for themselves. And as to olives, artichokes, amd mushrooms all I can do at this time is drool spasmodically. Someone help me here......

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a rave review from your husband. You must have been proud. One dish meals are always so easy.

I get requests like, "Can we have so and so again? You remember I liked it." The trouble is I make so many new dishes I can't always remember which one he is talking about. Very frustrating for both of us.

So the advise from me is to make sure you remember this one.
Sam

Jessie said...

Wow this looks awesome! I will definitely be trying this on my family!

Natalie said...

this looks so yummy! I love your husband's comments :)

and I can totally relate to the indoor pictures. boo, I'm so sad about it!

Barbara said...

I don't drink wine, so when I buy it, it is for a recipe. This sounds great, but can you suggest a substitute for the wine? Are there other reds that will work? I can scour my recipes and see if I can use one wine for a couple. This looks great and I would like to try it. I have made a few of your recipes so far, and they are all great!

I am not one of those people who change all the ingredients then complain about the end result (a pet peeve of mine from recipe review sites).

Thanks!
Barbara

mamtc said...

Looks yummy and congrats on ur award from Jessie

amycaseycooks said...

my carolina kitchen - I should have a better system for keeping track of favorite recipes. maybe I will start a separate file and then I will know where to look for my family's fav recipes.

barbara - you can also use chicken stock and add a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar. also pinot noir or a cab would work too.

Robin said...

We are all in the same boat with the photos, so don't worry, your food always looks delish! I WOULD eat this dish but y picky pot family would pick everything out but the chicken, sigh!

I have decided come hell or high water, this spring I will start my cooking classes even if it kills me. I want to do those kind of classes more so than teach science at this point. My brain hurts from all the studying!

Angela in Texas said...

Wow, that looks fabulous! I will be making this this week! Thank you!

Barbara said...

Thanks! I look forward to giving this a try!

teresa said...

oh wow, what rave reviews! i really want to try this soon!

Melynda@Scratch Made Food! said...

We are splitting a CSA chicken box, this will be great to make with some of the breast meat. Thanks.

Biz said...

OMG, my husband would absolutely love, love, love that meal - I am not a huge fan of artichokes, but he loves them and with olives to boot! Winner!

ann said...

This looks really delicious!

MaryBeth said...

This is a very elegant and romantic looking meal...