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Baked Chicken Smothered in Vegetables and Cheese
Baked Chicken Smothered in Vegetables and Cheese
I love to be creative with food and I live in a home where those boys love a good home cooked meal and believe me quality is everything to them since they are all great cooks themselves. I love to make this particular dish because it is so easily changed around to suit a certain taste or craving. Other ideas that can be added into this dish such as crumbled bacon, diced ham, cooked shrimp, Itailan sausage, cherry tomatoes, black or green olives, green peas, snow peas, whole kernel sweet white or yellow corn, pimentos, pine nuts, yellow or orange bell peppers, green onion tips, green chili or habenaro peppers (spicy). To lower the sodium intake on this recipe omit usage of extra salt, substitute Mrs dash or other salt free spice for the creole or Cajun spices, Do not use canned vegetables or minced garlic as the preservatives often contain sodium, avoid adding other meats especially processed meats, cut the amount of butter in half and omit the grated cheese and also use only 1/2 the called for amount of cheese. A great side dish with this meal I like to make a nice bed of lightly buttered fluffy white or Jasmin rice, this meal also goes well with an Olive oil and fresh garlic pasta with fresh herbs.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breast, Preferably boneless
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Diced
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Diced
- !/2-1 whole Fresh Green Jalapeno Pepper, Seeded and finely diced
- 2 Stalks Fresh Celery (with leaves optional), Diced
- 1 Large White, Yellow or Purple Onion, Halved and sliced thin
- 1 1/2 Tbsp or 3 cloves Minced or Fresh Garlic (crushed and finely diced if using fresh)
- 1 4oz can Fancy Sliced Mushrooms, Drained
- 1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Coarsely Snipped
- 4 Sprigs (3-4" in lenth) Fresh Rosemary, Washed and left whole not snipped
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2-1 Tsp (the more the spicier) Creole or Cajun Spice, I recommend Zaterains or Louisiana brand
- 1/2 Tsp Paprika
- 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/8 Tsp Liquid Smoke, I use Mesquite Flavor
- 1/2 - 1 cup water
- 1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
- 4-6 Slices or 2 Cups Shredded Provolone, Munster, or Mozzarella Cheesell
- 4 Dashes Wochestershire Sauce
- In a glass 9 x 13 baking dish add 1/2 cup of water, liquid smoke, and Wochestershire sauce and mix
- Place sprigs of fresh Rosemary in bottom of the dish about 2 inches a part and lay one chicken breast on top of each sprig. Sprinkle about half of the fresh cilantro on and around the chicken.
- In a small bowl blend dry spices and use half of mixture to lightly season chicken before adding vegetables.
- Add fresh vegetables (I layer mine for looks and even distribution).
- Top vegetables with remaining fresh cilantro and season with left over season mixture.
- Sprinkle Grated Parmesan Cheese and top each piece of chicken with a little butter use remaining butter on vegetables.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes and the spoon or inject juices in or over chicken. Recover and continue baking until chicken is cooked fully. Add more water only if you see the juices evaporating.
- Remove from oven and place sliced or shredded cheese of your choice on top and return to oven for about 2 minutes or until melted. Let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.
