Please. Hear me out.
Before this post gets flagged for the unoriginal use of packaged gravy-let me explain. Okay, so you can’t flag a post I wrote on my own site-but you know what I mean.
We all grew up in an alternate universe from the one we now live in. Now-we are young, urban, professionals (no I did NOT use that 80’s acronym) who have time to climb the corporate tower, be excellent, organic-food touting mothers who get angry about vaccines, poor treatment of animals and celebutantes that should never be allowed to leave the hospital with their offspring- who still find time to be sexy arm-candy wives AND create unique, never repeated all original recipes each night for our brood.
Which kinda cracks me up considering what most of us 30-somethings grew up with in the late 70′s and 80′s. I don’t know about you, but there were nights that we were excited to be handed a pack of Reese’s Pieces and a remote control while our divorcee moms scrunched their hair and went to a club with the next hairbandfrontmanlookalike. Am I alone here?
Anyway-the point is that there was a time when it was not only okay to crack open a box of tuna helper for dinner, but there were whole sects of society devoted to manipulating prepackaged meals into “new” recipes! The horror! My apologies to “Cakemix Doctor” fans everywhere-I know, I love them too.
My only point being-try the freaking gravy. Any of us who have made homemade gravy before know it isn’t hard. It isn’t even inconvenient. And yet, I still go for the Knorr Roasted Chicken Gravy every weeknight I want gravy. Check out the nutritional info- there is a nice advantage there. And maybe I get some pleasure out of taking a shortcut society doesn’t think I (as superwoman) should be entitled to.
Or maybe I was just in the mood to rant.
Either way, this is a delicious, fast and very easy weeknight meal and it goes wonderfully with a bottle of Bogle Chardonnay (INCREDIBLE find for $9!). Bon Appétit.
Sautéed Chicken with Mashers and Gravy
Serves 4
1 1/2 lb. Chicken Breast-cut into “tenders”
1/2 lb. Red Creamer Potatoes (or whatever your tater of choice is)
1/2 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 tablespoons Sour Cream
1 Package Knorr Roasted Chicken Gravy
2 cups plus 1/4cup prepared Chicken Stock
1 pint of white mushrooms, sliced
A Light Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper
In a stockpot, combine the chicken stock, a pinch of salt and enough water to cover peeled potatoes and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, put chicken pieces in a bowl and toss with just enough olive oil to coat lightly, season with salt and pepper. Transfer tenders to a sauté pan and sauté until just shy of done. Add mushrooms and cover, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are al dente.
When potatoes are done (fall apart when pressed with a fork), drain them and return to hot stockpot. In a separate cup, combine 1/4cup stock and the sour cream, mixing well. Add mixture to potatoes and mix with a hand mixer until creamy then add salt and pepper to taste.
Make gravy according to package directions.
I usually will steam whatever is fresh and green in the house to serve with this also-green beans, zucchini, brocolli-whatever. A green salad would be nice also.
Serve together with a smile on your face and enjoy a healthy, easy and ultimately very comforting meal on a weekday.
Smile even bigger if you can get someone else to do the dishes.
Knorr Gravy info: http://www.amazon.com/Knorr-Classics-Roasted-Chicken-1-2-Ounce/dp/B000I2MW7O
Bogle Wines: http://www.boglewinery.com/
