Chicken Pontalba

If you want to make a chicken dish that is impressive and will bowl over you, your family, friends and neighbors then look no further than Chicken Pontalba! If you want to show them all you can cook Creole, than make this dish....make it tonight!

I'm using boneless skinless chicken breasts because that is what I had, but you can use any cut of chicken you have handy. Just be sure to remove the skin from your chicken to keep the sauce from being greasy.

Slice up 1/2 yellow onion and 1/2 lb. of oyster mushrooms and set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat add 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet and brown the chicken. Once chicken is brown evenly, transfer to a 9x9 baking dish.

If you are cooking more chicken pieces, use a 9x13 baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onions and mushrooms until tender, about 3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine, 1/2 cup of beef broth, (I know we're cooking chicken, but trust me, use beef broth) 1/2 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes (If you're cooking more chicken pieces, use the whole can), 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and 1 tablespoon flour. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cook at a low simmer for about five minutes. Add 1/2 cup of roughly chopped pimento stuffed olives. Stir to mix and remove from heat. Be careful if you decide to add salt since the olives contain a lot of salt.

Pour mixture over chicken and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While the chicken is in the oven, cook up some fluffy white rice.

Serve yourself a piece of chicken a spoonful of fluffy rice and a generous ladle of gravy. This will be your "go to" meal!