Microwave Chicken Provencal

Do you know why you brown chicken first in traditional stews and casseroles? It's to seal in the juices. You don't need to in microwave cooking, so you save the fat calories from the butter or margarine or oil you'd use for browning, and the chicken still ends up moist and tender.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh Italian plum tomatoes
or a 28-ounce can, drained
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (12-ounces)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Remove and discard skin from chicken breasts. In a 3-quart microwave-safe utensil, combine tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in cup combine wine and cornstarch, stir into tomato mixture.

Place chicken breasts, bone-side up and meatier portions toward outside of utensil, on top of tomato mixture. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken breasts over and stir tomato mixture. After cooking, let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

Remove chicken to serving platter; stir parsley into tomato mixture and spoon some over breasts; serve remaining sauce on side.

Nutritional Figures Per Serving

Calories 347. Protein 63 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat 4 grams. Cholesterol 152 mg. Sodium 283 mg.