Baked Chicken à la Steven (and a vegetarian version)

Baked Chicken à la Steven.

Baked Chicken à la Steven served over rice
with homemade rye bread and green beans

Why would I call it that?

Pretty simple really.  I had to come up with a name. It's baked chicken. It's turned into one of my son's favorites and his name is Steven (plus he thought it was really cool that I named it after him). So, Baked Chicken à la Steven seemed as good as any other name!

This is actually one of the simpler recipes that I've posted and it's pretty versatile.  Like mushrooms? Put 'em in. Don't like them? Leave 'em out. Onions? Same thing.

I use white wine because I like the flavor it gives.  If you don't like it, don't have any around or just want to try something different, use a different kind of wine or leave the wine out altogether and throw some chicken (or vegetable) stock in instead.

There's also a vegetarian version (scroll down) that I made for my wife as well.  You basically make it the same way. I made a pan of each at the same time this evening.

If you try this, please let me know what you think in the comments!

Ingredients CHICKEN VERSION

Seasoned chicken legs starting to brown

• 2 large boneless chicken breasts cut in half (or the leg and thigh equivalent - about 6 to 8 pieces depending upon size)
• spices to season the chicken (I like to use Lawry's seasoning salt, ground rosemary, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper - use whatever you like in your household)
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I use the ones with garlic and basil but any will do - and if you don't have diced, then stewed, etc. will work just as well)
• 1/2 onion, diced (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 8 oz package sliced mushrooms (optional)

Directions CHICKEN VERSION

1. Preheat the oven to 350

   

   I did both white and dark meat in this batch.  This is half
   of the white meat (breasts)  browned and ready to go.

2. Sprinkle the chicken with your choice of seasonings
3. Put the butter and olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and turn on medium heat
4. Brown the chicken on all sides in the butter/olive oil mixture
5. Put the browned chicken in a casserole dish
6. If you're using onions, mushrooms or garlic, place them in the pan and saute until just done
7. Pour the wine into the pan where you cooked the chicken
8. Turn up the heat and let the wine come to a boil, scraping the pan to get off all of the "bits" stuck to the bottom
9. Let the wine mixture boil until it's reduced by about half



Covered with tomatoes
and ready to go in the oven!

10. Pour the wine mixture (with or without the onions/mushrooms/garlic) over the chicken
11. Spoon the diced tomatoes over the chicken pouring any liquid from the can into the pan
12. Cover and bake. The amount of time necessary will depend on the amount and types of chicken you're using (white vs dark meat). I typically give it about 20 minutes then start checking the temperature. You want it to be a minimum of 165 degrees to be sure it's cooked thoroughly.
13. Remove the cover and serve!!  We like to serve it over white rice but it would be great over egg noodles as well.

Ingredients  VEGETARIAN VERSION

• 2 pieces Quorn naked cutlets
• spices to season the cutlets (I like to use Lawry's seasoning salt, ground rosemary, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper - use whatever you like in your household)
• 3/4 cups white wine

  

  Quorn naked cutlets browned and ready to go in the pan

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I use the ones with garlic and basil but any will do - and if you don't have diced, then stewed, etc. will work just as well)
• 1/4 onion, diced (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 4 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)

Directions VEGETARIAN VERSION

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Moisten the cutlets with water or milk
3. Sprinkle the cutlets with your choice of seasonings
4. Put the butter and olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and turn on medium heat
5. Brown the cutlets on both sides in the butter/olive oil mixture
6. Put the browned cutlets in a casserole dish

   

   Mushrooms, onions and garlic in a reduced wine sauce

7. If you're using onions, mushrooms or garlic, place them in the pan and saute until just done
8. Pour the wine into the pan where you cooked the cutlets
9. Turn up the heat and let the wine come to a boil, scraping the pan to get off all of the "bits" stuck to the bottom
10. Let the wine mixture boil until it's reduced by about half
11. Pour the wine mixture (with or without the onions/mushrooms/garlic) over the cutlets
12. Spoon the diced tomatoes over the cutlets pouring any liquid from the can into the pan
13. Cover and bake. I typically cook it this way for about 20 minutes, but since this isn't really meat, you're just heating it up and giving the other flavors a chance to meld. I usually cook it at the same time as chicken in a separate pan and just pull it out when the chicken is done and it's fine.
14. Remove the cover and serve!!  We like to serve it over white rice but it would be great over egg noodles as well.

    

    The naked cutlets topped with mushroom mixture
    and diced tomatoes.  Just needs to be covered and baked!