(73) Spicy Basque-Style Chicken

I'm always my own worst critic when it comes to meals. I'll say something is good, but I rarely say "HOLY COW, I just cooked a killer dinner". Tonight, I said just that. And lots of Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm and a !MEOW! thrown in for good measure. I made this exactly as written. Do not leave out any of the items. They all are important in their own right.

I served this with yellow rice and steamed broccoli. While the rice was cooking, I made the chicken. This is truly a 30 minute meal, start to finish. If you can't find smoked paprika in your grocery store, check out one of my favorite places to shop, Penzeys!

---

Spicy Basque-Style Chicken

Smoked paprika is a traditional ingredient in Spanish cuisine. Serve this dish with saffron rice to soak up the tasty sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken, about 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon prosciutto, and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, June 2007

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped prosciutto
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine paprika and pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds. Turn chicken over. Add olives and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with prosciutto and parsley.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 264 (31% from fat), Fat: 9g (sat 1.6g,mono 4g,poly 2.2g), Protein: 36.2g, Carbohydrate: 8g, Fiber: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 876mg, Calcium: 92mg