The same three options keep cropping up as dinner choices at wedding receptions and Bar Mitzvahs: Steak, salmon and the inevitable chicken. Only of late do we get to decide upon a vegetarian meal, and who in the world wants a plateful of veggies at a party? We can have that at home.
I gave up attending an annual luncheon for my high school compatriots because the luncheon choice was either a salad or some sort of concoction containing chicken. You’re safer with the salad.
Mind you, I like chicken, during one period of my early life my father built a chicken coop and populated it with a few chickens. We lived in Connecticut at the time, and he concerned himself with running the nearby navy base, at least I thought he ran things over there. He certainly ran things at home; with the exception of the chicken family, which it turned out, was my job. You’d never imagine my father in his spit and polish uniform was a country boy, but he was, right down to the large vegetable garden and those blasted chickens.
As soon as we named a chicken and took note of its daily routine, my father dispatched it and my mother cooked it. I am not a country girl at heart, and I was never quite comfortable eating Esmerelda, but we did many deeds in the Depression which were not politically correct.
Now as a Sunday tribute to all the Esmereldas and Henriettas we have eaten:
CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES
Dip skinless and boneless chicken thighs in beaten egg, then shake in flour.
Heat a little butter and oil and brown chicken lightly. Remove from pan.
Add 1# sliced mushrooms and a couple cloves of garlic and cook till mushrooms release moisture and are done.
Put chicken back in pan and pour 1 cup wine over. I used Marsala in this one but any white wine would do. Cover and cook on stovetop or in oven in moderate heat till done.
Add 1 can artichoke quarters and a small can of sliced water chestnuts. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream or more and a squeeze of lemon.
Pachofa-Unfinished 
Believe it or not and even though it is just 8am, right now I am cooking chicken already. I just cut up some chicken thighs, fried some spring onions and ladled in some tandoori paste, squeezed a lemon, added some sugar and salt then chucked in the chicken pieces and shall now make another coffee and drag H out of bed by letting Milo into the bedroom.
A man’s work is never finished Kayti.
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mmmm! That sounds so good. I’ve never used tandoori paste–sounds hot? Proves that chickens cluck all over the world. Someone once told me the Aussies call them chooks? Chooks or chickens, they are pretty prolific.
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“He certainly ran things at home; with the exception of the chicken family, which it turned out, was my job.” hehe, good one. Chicken can get boring I agree. Unless it’s in a Thai curry and then it’s a whole other matter.
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That’s your answer—we all need a bit of spice in our lives.
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This is very, very close to one of my favorite, quick suppers. Onion, garlic, cubed chicken breast browned in olive oil, then a jar of Cara Mia marinated artichoke hearts, then mushrooms at the end. A splash of white wine if you like. Over brown rice or white/wild rice, it’s just delicious. I think I’ll make some tomorrow, since I have everything but the mushrooms!
Thanks for the inspiration!
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I’m glad you liked it. We all need quick dinners these days. Sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking at night. That’s one reason I love soups. They also last 2-3 days and get better with time. I have trouble with tomatoes, so it limits a lot of my good quick old recipes, but I’m going to put some in the blog anyway
I was thinking aabut all that good Cajun food you ate a couple of weeks ago, and I know a lot had tomatoes in. I may have made an exception to those! BTW I LOVE the pic of you laughing. It makes me smile whenever I look at it.
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