Adapted from a recipe in my mother's copy of The Heart Association Cookbook.

 

A 2 1/2 to 3 lb. fryer, cut into serving pieces

2 tbl. oil

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 cups canned or fresh tomato

1/2 cup sherry

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and brown the chicken on both sides. Put the chicken in a casserole dish, add the mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Mix the garlic and spices with the tomatoes, and pour on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until tender, adding the sherry at the last few minutes. Serve with brown rice and a green salad, maybe a pinot grigio, for a healthy dinner for about 6 people.

 

When my mom made this, she wouldn't bother to slice the mushrooms. She also wouldn't drain the artichoke hearts, preferring to include the marinating liquid for more flavor. When I make it, I put in more garlic, skip the mushrooms and substitute a scattering of black olives. My kids don't like the sherry, so I omit it. And I usually use 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts plus 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of whatever dark meat, since half the family eats boneless breast only. (If you prefer to use just breasts, cook only for an hour, tops, and consider occasional basting. They can get a bit dry.) It's a pretty flexible recipe, and responds well to tinkering!