Chicken Breasts with Creamy Vegetable Topping |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Red bell pepper, scallion, and carrot are sautéed briefly, then mixed with cream cheese to form a bright, speckled sauce that bakes right on the chicken-simple and delicious. Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cooking oil |
1 red bell pepper, chopped |
2 scallions including green tops, chopped |
1 carrot, grated |
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature |
1 teaspoon salt |
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper |
4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 pounds in all), skin removed |
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 425°. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the scallions and carrot and cook 2 minutes longer. Mix the vegetables with the cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
2. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the remaining 1/4 teaspoons of salt and pepper. Put the breasts in a roasting pan and spread them with the vegetable cream cheese. Bake the chicken until just done, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Menu Suggestions: The rich topping on the chicken leaves one wanting a simply prepared vegetable, such as steamed broccoli, asparagus, or green beans.
4. Variation: Chicken Breasts with Boursin-Cheese Sauce: Substitute a 5 1/2-ounce package of plain or garlic-and-herb-flavored Boursin cheese for the cream cheese.
5. Wine Recommendation: A crisp and fruity white will cut through the rich cheese and pair well with the acidity of the bell pepper and scallion. A kabinett riesling from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany or, if you can find it, a riesling from the Finger Lakes in New York is a good possibility.
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