Red bell peppers, chicken, sherry, onion and garlic are frequently used in Spanish cuisine. In keeping with today’s trends, new and lighter recipes are evolving from traditional Spanish cooking. Here is my re-creation of an old Spanish favorite.
The vegetables for both the chicken and potato recipes can be coarsely chopped in the food processor. You can avoid washing the bowl during preparation by chopping them all at one time and dividing accordingly. You can puree the sauce for the chicken in the same bowl without washing it.
For the potato recipe, chop the mushrooms and garlic together. The easiest way to chop garlic in a food processor is to add the garlic through the feed tube while the blade is running.
Helpful Hints
If your paprika is more than six months old, buy a new bottle. The flavor will be fresher.
The sauce can be pureed in a blender or strained through a food mill, if you do not have a food processor.
Countdown
Start potatoes.
Start chicken.
Complete potato dish.
Puree chicken sauce.
Fred Tasker’s wine suggestion: A chicken dish enriched by sherry and spiced with paprika calls for a red wine, if you ask me. A nice, spicy, red zinfandel, maybe.
Shopping list
To buy: 2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 1 large red bell pepper, 3/4 pound Red Bliss potatoes, 1/4 pound mushrooms and 1 bottle dry sherry.
Staples: Olive oil, minced garlic, onion, paprika, fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth, salt and black peppercorns.
Red Pepper Chicken
2 5-oz. boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove visible fat from chicken and place between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound each breast flat with the bottom of a heavy pan or meat bat. Sprinkle paprika on both sides of chicken and press in with a spoon. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken, about 2 minutes per side. If chicken is thicker than 1/2 inch, cook another minute. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Cook, covered, 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and sherry and cook another 2 minutes, covered. Remove from pan and puree the sauce in a food processor, blender or food mill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the chicken. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 330 calories (20 percent from fat), 7.3 g fat (1.4 g saturated, 2.9 g monounsaturated), 126 mg cholesterol, 40.8 g protein, 15.5 g carbohydrates, 3.4 g fiber, 107 mg sodium.
Sauteed Potatoes and Mushrooms
3/4 lb. Red Bliss potatoes
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2-cups coarsely chopped mushrooms, (about 4 mushrooms)
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash potatoes, do not peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a small pan and cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and boil potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Drain. In the same pan, heat olive oil and add mushrooms, garlic, and potatoes. Saute 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 175 calories (25 percent from fat), 4.9 g fat (0.7 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.0 g protein, 30.0 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber, 35 mg sodium.
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