Chicken Breast with Red and Yellow Peppers

Chicken Breast with Red and Yellow Peppers

It was one of those nutty weekends. Daughter Zed was in town with her mother. Due in on Saturday, I prepared dinner for 9 and downshifted to 7 when they called to say their car wasn’t up to the task. So dinner for 8 on Sunday instead. At the last minute, attempting to meet the various dietary restrictions, I had to add chicken to the menu. The star of the evening was pasta with meatballs. I received a whole lamb on Saturday, and spent all day Sunday canning tomato puree. So I made pork/beef/lamb meatballs with fresh chopped tomatoes and fresh tomato puree. Leftover fish fed Zed and mother. That left Q and M, who eat chicken. (Fish too, but there wasn’t enough). SO. The Ithaca Farmer’s market on Saturday was glorious. Not only did I get the lamb, but found a 25lb case of paste tomatoes for $25 and red, yellow and orange peppers for $2 a pound. It’s been a perfect summer for peppers, if you kept them watered, and the stands were bursting with boxes of peppers in calico colors. Dinner was hurried, crammed into the space after the last mason jar of puree was processed and our early (6 o’clock) Sunday dinner hour, built around Dr. Who. So Q came with two organic chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on. Browned in olive oil and braised with sautéed peppers, onion garlic and white wine they were decadent, simple and delicious. The peppers caramelized and were sultry sweet beneath the dense dark pan sauce. Life is so simple sometimes! We served it with a new brand of Italian organic pasta, also on sale and steamed zucchini (seconds, naturally). With the usual cheap but tasty Barbera I’ve been buying of late, it was a table bursting with flavor, variety and the usual amusing conversation that goes between adult children, children and adults, in a big blended family.

Chicken Breast with Red and Yellow Peppers

2 chicken breasts on the bone with skin
1 red pepper (if they’re huge, use less) cut into strips
1 yellow pepper (if they’re huge, use less) cut into strips (about 2” long and ¼” wide)
1 medium red onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic cjopped
¼ cup olive oil
2/3rds cup white wine
Salt and pepper

In a large iron skillet heat olive oil over high heat

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts on both sides. Brown then skin side down first. Get them really brown, don’t be afraid! Remove to a plate, lower heat to medium and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Sautee until wilted. Add wine, allow to steam and then put in the chicken breasts skin side up. Lower heat to maintain a strong simmer and cover. Turn the breasts every ten minutes until done. The wine should have cooked off and the skin further browned in the pan. If you need a little more wine throw in a splash. Serve with rice or pasta.