Baked Chicken and Artichokes

Spring is finally here and the longer daylight hours entice me to stay outdoors as long as possible. This recipe will take only 20 minutes (maybe less) in prep, and the rest is oven time.

If you're anything like me, you welcome a new way to prepare skinless and boneless chicken breasts. Of course, this will work with any cut of chicken (or turkey) but I like this recipe best for breast meat because it stays moist throughout the baking process.

I've been working on a few versions of this one so my friends and loved ones are about over chicken and artichokes by now.

The first version is one I read about in Epicurious magazine and I stayed close to the original recipe with a few variations (more garlic and the addition of red pepper flakes). The second version follows.

Aside from succulent chicken and an easy recipe, clean-up is a cinch. Happy Spring!

Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4


Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
10 oz canned artichoke hearts or baby artichokes (approx. 3 per serving)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Parsley or basil for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain artichokes and reserve water.
Rinse chicken and place in a lightly oiled baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, cheese, pepper flakes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the artichoke water. The consistency should be more like pancake batter than mayonnaise.
Spoon the mixture over the chicken, be sure to cover all the pieces.
Place artichokes on top of the chicken and bake for 1 hour or until the juices run clear.
Garnish and serve hot.

Variation: Replace Parmesan with feta cheese, mayonnaise with Greek yogurt and add 2 tbsp chopped kalamata olives. Garnish with lemon and parsley.