Quit your squawking and try this alternative to dining hall food. A nice entree of roasted chicken breast with vegetables and rice, while a little time-consuming, is a great meal to try at home. It’s the perfect idea when serving a meal for two.

Roasted Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Serves: 2

Total time: about an hour

Ingredients:2+ tbsp. cooking oil2 or 3 chicken breasts (depending on your appetites)salt and pepper1/3 cup white wine (white cooking wine is also acceptable)dried parsley

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut out excess skin and blood vessels from the chicken; season both sides with salt and pepper. (Remember to wash your hands and everything that comes in contact with the raw chicken meat.) Place the chicken breasts skin side down on the hot pan. Cook about five minutes on each side, until skin is golden brown.

2. Place the breasts on a baking sheet and sprinkle a little more oil on top. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, until fully cooked.

3. To make the sauce: Pour the wine into the frying pan the chicken was cooked in. Never add wine to a pan over heat. Remove the pan from the heat first, and angle slightly while slowly adding the wine. Return to the heat. The wine will begin to boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan and allow the chicken juices to mingle with the wine. Add parsley and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will reduce as the alcohol evaporates into the air. When the sauce seems thick enough, reduce heat to low. If the sauce becomes too reduced before the chicken is done, simply add more wine.

4. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and pour the sauce over top. This meal is best served over rice with a vegetable side dish and a glass of the wine used to make the sauce.

Published on September 5, 2006 at 12:00 pm