Sunday Chicken

Hello my dear readers! How is your weekend? My weekend has been superb. While I did not drag the Bear out to the Plaza Art Fair, we did clean the house, buy some pumpkins and mums, and I made it to yoga class for the first time in almost a month. I normally do not go on Sundays; but due to scheduling and needing to make it to the gym right after I get off work during the week, I made the time to attend the restorative yoga class this afternoon. It was pretty amazing. The class was not as rigorous as the other vinyasa type classes they offer throughout the week. It was more hatha based. The poses were all tied to the ground or poses that primarily are in the seated position with longer stretches. We held some of the poses for what seemed like hours, but I feel all loosened up and much more relaxed than when I stepped in. Exactly what I needed.

Now on to sharing my lovely, relaxing, yet elegant dinner for you tonight. You can think of this as Sunday chicken, but with an extra bit of class. I've taken ordinary chicken breast and sauteed them until cooked through in a pan. After I removed the chicken to rest, I made this lovely chardonnay sauce...

Making a sauce for chicken is the easiest way to elevate and utilize its natural flavor. All you need are the left-over bits in the pan from cooking the chicken, a little white wine, garlic, and Dijon to tie everything together without adding additional calories.

Chicken with Chardonnay Sauce

2 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season both chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray and add the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly brown and flip. Cook an additional 4-5 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan. Place on a plate and cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Set aside.

In the same pan you cooked the chicken, deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to pick up any browned bits that have stuck to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the wine to a simmer. Continue simmering and stirring occasionally until the wine has cooked down or reduced in half. Whisk in the garlic and Dijon. Continue whisking until combined. Remove the foil from the chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken before serving. Everyone will think you are a master chef!

To make the acorn squash that is pictured, I pierced the squash with a knife in several places. Then I microwaved the squash on high for 5 minutes to soften it before cutting. I carefully removed the squash from the microwave wearing oven mits. Cut the squash in half, scraped the seeds with a spoon, and placed on a baking sheet. Next, I added 1/2 tablespoon butter to each half and sprinkled with a little brown sugar. I popped them in the oven while I was cooking the chicken and sauce and voila! It is my favorite way to enjoy acorn squash. A little butter never hurt anyone;)