Saturday, November 7, 2009

My first cooking success – Chicken Rosemary


When I met my husband Meakin I couldn’t cook. Oh, that’s not quite true. I could hard boil an egg (put egg in cold water, bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, drain twelve minutes later, rinse in cold water and peel) and I could make a good crusty cheese toast in toaster oven (lightly toast bread, cover with good sharp Cheddar, broil until bubbly), but I couldn’t make the gourmet meals he was accustomed to. Meakin told me, “You can obviously read because you’ve worked on your masters, so buy a cookbook, pick a recipe and give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll take you out to eat.” It sounded like a good deal to me, so I found a recipe for Chicken Rosemary. Not counting the salt and pepper, it contained five ingredients and I recognized each one.

We’ve been married forty years this November and I’ve only had to take him up on the offer to eat out a couple of times because of a recipe disaster. An awful version of Millionaire Chicken comes to mind, but now that I look back at the recipe, I don’t know what I could have done with it to make it taste that awful, but it did.

Here’s an updated version of my first culinary success – Chicken Rosemary. Instead of using a whole, cut up chicken, I’ve used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. We grow rosemary in our herb garden, so there’s no need to buy the dried kind. I’ve also added sautéed mushrooms to jazz it up a bit. As a side dish, toss some asparagus and grape tomatoes with little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven about 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes just start to burst.

Chicken Rosemary

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces thickly sliced white button mushrooms
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/3 cup dry Marsala wine

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and set aside. In a non-stick skillet add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat until they are brown and have given up their liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To the same skillet add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the chicken over medium-high heat until nicely browned on both sides. Sprinkle the chicken with the chopped rosemary and slowly add the Marsala. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and reaches 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. If necessary, add more Marsala to prevent burning. Serve very hot. Also good served over rice.

Yield: 2 servings


39 comments:

  1. I had to chuckle about your millionaire chicken disaster. I was given a recipe by a friend when we were first married. Cornish hen stuffed with blueberries. Sounded gourmet to me. My husband found it very unappetizing as the blueberries turned the chicken gray. I have kept the recipe all these years, never repeated it, but always wondered why my friend thought it was so great.

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  2. Funny how getting married teaches one to cook, isn't it? That's what started me cooking.

    Great looking and sounding recipe.

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  3. Sam,
    Cute story on your early beginnings in the kitchen! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I copied it and will definitely give it a try. It sounds wonderful!
    Happy PS,
    xo
    Sue

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  4. Very cute story. Thanks for this recipe! It looks so delicious and easy. My husband loves chicken prepared in any shape or form so I am happy to try this one!

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  5. Rosemary and chicken are such a perfect combination. Your variation sounds delicious!

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  6. Funny that you write about your "first" in the kitchen! And chicken and rosemary sund perfect!
    I've been thinking about my less sophisticated "braised beef in a creamy sauce" ever since I mentioned it in my post about my "first times"!

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  7. This is such a sweet story. I think we all have a story of our first 'cooking from a recipe' experience. This looks like a fabulous recipe! I have a similar one where I add the rosemary in with the mushrooms to saute. I'll have to try your recipe.

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  8. I chuckled at your comment that you recognized five of the ingredients. It's amazing how much culinary ingredient/technique knowledge we collect, over years of reading recipes. This recipe looks like a winner. I love rosemary and appreciate that I have a healthy shrub of that wonderful herb. I'd make this in a heartbeat, over ordering it in a restaurant.

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  9. Sam,
    Thanks for the delicious recipe about chicken rosemary. Congratulations upon your award from TX. I appreciate your visiting my blog. Have a great weekend.

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  10. Sounds yummy. I've got a couple of chicken breasts in the freezer I can make this with.

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  11. I wish someone would cut me a deal like that! And, with this recipe in hand, I'd be good to go!

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  12. Rosemary and chicken is the perfect combination!

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  13. What a lovely dish! Can't wait to try it.

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  14. I remember being in college, and having one of my friends tell me that I'd never get married unless I learned how to cook better. Thanks for sharing your story!


    And I'm glad you got it right...Tar Heels = 2 words. ;) Take care!!

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  15. Cute post! I can relate to your comment about recognizing the ingredients...my first approach was recognizing them and do I like them all? If so, it was a go. Sometimes that did not work!

    I think I started with casseroles!

    Rosemary Chicken sounds delicious and easy. We will have to give it a try at our house.

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  16. Oh Sam - love the chicken rosemary recipe. It is something I do when in flux. And I only make it while my rosemary is growing - do not like the dried kind. Tastes llike twigs to me. That said, when I have a culinary disaster - we eat it. I am going to tell my husband about your deal. Much more civilized.

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  17. I love a recipe with just a few simple ingredients, and I love rosemary. What could be bad?
    I will try it!

    Thanks for visiting my blog, also.
    Have a wonderfully delicious day!

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  18. I like how this dish has such a nice history with you - History's Chicken!

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  19. I'm doing this. I think it's within the realm of my possibilities. I too have rosemary in the garden, or more accurately in the freezer, but I did grow it.

    This sounds delicious. Maybe thanks to you I can vary my very limited repertoire. The competition is tough over here. . .

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  20. I could not have cooked this, when I first got married. I could make spaghetti (sort of) with canned sauce.

    I don't know why but my mother did not cook with me and I don't remember her cooking a lot. I think she was one of the good basic cooks who repeated her repetoire. I know we ate well but plain.

    So, I entered marriage with a husband who taught me how to do the wash, cook basics, anything domestic. I caught up quickly though.

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  21. Tell me, is hubby counting his blessings!!! He should 'cause that meal looks delicious to me!!!

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  22. Those early years of learning to cook were a challenge. Some good meals, lots of so-so ones. Chicken and rosemary are a wonderful combination and this looks delish with the mushrooms.

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  23. chicken with rosemary sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your story! Although I did know how to cook when I met my husband my knowledge of food was pretty limited and I was not cooking any of the kinds of gourmet meals I do now. When he started taking me out to all the fancy restaurants, I learned quickly :)

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  24. Looks delicious, Sam. I love rosemary and my yard is filled with about 15 rosemary plants, so I have it for the taking. But my hubby has informed me that he hates it, so all it does is keep the deer away.

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  25. Always looking for more chicken recipes. I think I messed up the first dinner I made for my husband too. forgot that the chicken has to be cooked already when making chicken divan LOL

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  26. Great post Sam. I can't remember the first thing I cooked for David, but he loved my Mother's breaded Spam. Lord have mercy.

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  27. Rosemary and chicken is one of my favorites, adding the mushrooms and the savroy sauce as you have put it over the top.

    I wonder if my husband would take me out to eat at your house? Let me know what night you make this!

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  28. Food and fond memories equals truth in blogging and one of the reasons I love this blog. GREG

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  29. Nice memories...your chicken looks yummie,, like the rosemary in it...it really give the chicken an special flavor :-)

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  30. Sam, I am back. I hope you will participate in my Kitchen Reveal challenge. I would love to see your kitchen. Visit my blog for the details.

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  31. Oh I was more into imagining than cooking when I was young...and then...after getting married and being 'doomed' to be poor students for the first 8 or so years of our life....I soon learned to be a creative cook. Now I love it as a hobby.... You have excellent recipes here...great photos too!

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  32. amazing 40 years and you are an awesome cook, and healthy as well, i bet hubby is very happy love Rebecca

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  33. Even after all these years I am sure I still have plenty to learn about cooking. Thanks for sharing such a sweet story:D

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  34. I love this story as I can relate. I was a horrible cook when I first got married years ago but I am so glad to see your success. It looks mouth watering!

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  35. I love the story and it's too romantic! I'm laughing out loud cause that is just what MY husband would say - and he may have! And he was right! Look what a great cook you've turned out to be. The chicken dish is beautiful!

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  36. I loved your story, I can't even imagine being married that long. Your chicken recipe is wonderful!

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  37. I made this chicken this past week. I had almost forgotten how I love rosemary. I had to substiture Chardonney; but, it was fine.

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  38. Haha that sounds like me :) I pretty much lived on Lean Cuisine before I met Michael! Congrats to 40 years, that is amazing!

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  39. Sam, this chicken dish looks like my favorite kind of food--simple ingredients treated well.

    YUM! Thanks for posting it.

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