A Borrowed Recipe Plus One of My Own

Tonight’s main dish comes to us courtesy of Mia of Nosh. I changed only a couple of things from her original recipe for Chicken with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes and Capers. I think I’ll name my version after her, and call it Chicken Mia.

Chicken Mia

2 T olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 med. yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
freshly ground pepper
1 large tomato, chopped
1 T butter
2 T capers
1 T dried basil
1/2 cup white wine
 
Preheat the oven to 425˚ In a medium skille over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the red and yellow onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is nearly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with salt.

Use the Jamie Oliver method for creating an "oven bag": "Using wide tin foil, make your bag by placing 2 pieces on top of each other (about as big as 2 shoeboxes in length), folding 3 sides in and leaving 1 side open."

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place them side-by-side in the foil bag. Sprinkle in the tomato, butter, capers, basil, and carmelized onions. Carefully pour in the wine and seal the foil bag tightly. Slide the foil package onto a roasting tray. Jamie recommends placing the tray on a burner on your stove over high heat for a minute to get the package going. Then put the tray in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

When it comes out of the oven, open the foil bag, place one chicken breast for each person (use the third to make a great sandwich the next day!) on a plate and spoon over the juices.

Along with the chicken, I made a slightly sweet rice dish, one that I normally would use white rice in. This time, however, I used brown rice, and it turned out quite nicely. I like the nutty flavor and quality of brown rice; I just don’t often have the time to cook it.

Curried Orange Rice

1/4 c olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 t curry powder
1 c uncooked brown rice
1 c orange juice
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 t salt
1/2 c seedless raisins
1 bay leaf

Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Sauté onion until soft and golden but not brown. Stir in curry powder and rice. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients; stir with fork. Bring to boiling; lower heat; cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. You will probably have to add more broth periodically. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serves 6.

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