A tasty solution to the great dinner dilemma

Amy McCauley | Last updated Apr 03, 2024 4:48pm
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Aretha Franklin was once asked what her greatest creative challenge was and her answer was surprising.

"Trying to figure out what to cook for dinner... nightly."

The interviewer, Larry London, paused and laughed. Her honesty was refreshing and at the same time endearing because it made you realize that even the queen of soul had to think about dinner.

That's the problem with dinner; it's so nightly. Even if you love to cook it's easy to hit a creative challenge when planning so many meals. We all have a those five to 10 recipes that we tend to make again and again. That's why I'm always looking for new dinner ideas. Sometimes I find it in a cook book, newspaper article or blog.

However, the inspiration for this apricot and thyme chicken came from a magazine story about a roasted leg of lamb with apricots and thyme, which sounded wonderful. However, it wasn't a dish I could easily make on a weeknight. So, I decided to create a French inspired chicken with the same apricot and thyme flavors. This chicken has a delicious pan sauce with shallots, white wine and a touch of cream. I love to serve it with wild rice and roasted asparagus.

This elegant but easy dinner can be made in 30 minutes. It's one of those dishes that's fun to make because it tastes like you stepped out to dinner at a French bistro, only you don't have to travel far. So, if you are looking for a little dinner inspiration then I have a recipe that hits all the right notes for a delicious weeknight dinner - my apricot thyme chicken.

- Amy McCauley of Hinsdale is the paper's food columnist. Readers can email her at [email protected].

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Chicken with apricots and thyme

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/3 cup shallot, finely chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup chardonnay

• 1/2 cup cream

• 1 cup of dried apricots, sliced in half

• 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves

• 1 box Ben’s fast cook wild rice, cooked

Roasted Asparagus

• 1 bunch of thin asparagus

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown. Once the chicken is browned remove it to a plate. The chicken will finish cooking when returned to the sauce.

Turn the heat to medium low. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Next, add in the shallots and cook till translucent. Then turn the heat up to medium and deglaze the pan by adding ¾ cup of white wine. Cook the wine a minute, making sure to get all of the delicious brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the Dijon mustard. Add the apricots, cream and thyme and stir. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and cover the skillet part way with a lid. Let the sauce simmer and chicken cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until it is cooked through.

While the chicken is simmering, make the wild rice according to the package instructions and the roasted asparagus. Cut the ends off the asparagus spears and place them in bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir to coat the asparagus in the oil. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 10 minutes. Serves 4.