Artichoke Chicken

First things first! As promised, one of you lucky commenters is going to win a free one year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine! I used random.org's True Random Number Generator to pick a winner...

Christin M who said "I vote for Artichoke Chicken! It just sounds very interesting!! Can't wait to see what wins and how you like it!" 

Congrats, Christin!!! I'll be in touch with you soon to get your info and send the magazine your way!


Now on to the yummy stuff.  Once again we had a tie, so I've decided that my new "tie protocol" will be this: if there is a tie between two recipes, the first recipe that was voted on between the two will win.  And thus we have artichoke chicken :) This is a super simple recipe to throw together on a weeknight, although I think its definitely special enough to serve to guests. (Please excuse the pics.  Our camera is temporarily out of commission so the droid took over.)

Artichoke Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used thin-sliced breasts)
• 1 (15oz) can of artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed well, and chopped
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup mayo (I used reduced fat; check out the reviews on allrecipes for ideas on replacing some of the mayo with sour cream)
• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

1. Preheat your over to 375.

2. In a bowl mix together the artichoke hearts, cheese, mayo and some of the seasonings. I went pretty heavy on the pepper to balance out the saltiness of the cheese and the artichoke hearts. **Rinse the artichoke hearts really well if using some that came in a can with brine.  They are very salty! Next time I will use artichoke hearts that have been marinated in oil rather than stored in the brine.**

3. Place the chicken in a greased baking dish (I recommend using foil on the bottom of the dish for easy cleanup), and season the meat with some of the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover the chicken evenly with the artichoke mixture.  I had quite a bit leftover so next time I will use more chicken or reduce the amount of mixture.

4. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.  Since I was using thin-sliced chicken breasts I baked mine for about 20 minutes, then I broiled it for a few more minutes to get the top nice and brown. Yumminess.

I served the chicken with some garlic mashed potatoes and...garlic green beans.  What can I say? I love garlic! haha.  We both liked the chicken a lot and I'm sure I will make it again with the few modifications I mentioned.  I think it would be equally delicious with rice or pasta instead of potatoes. 

Thanks for the new recipe, friends! I hope you'll try it, too and let me know what you think.

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