Tonight’s Dinner: Country Captain Chicken

Jarred Marinara sauce is great when you don’t have time to make your own. But you don’t just have to pour it over pasta. Add it to some breaded chicken and rice, and you’ve got something really special.

A few weeks ago I made a recipe that took jarred marinara sauce and poured it over polenta. Several people commented on the recipe, including a marinara company, Ooma Tesoro’s, who wanted me to try their sauce. Being the foodie I am, I was more than happy to oblige. But, I didn’t want to simply pour the marinara over spaghetti and call it a day. I wanted to do something special with it.

Since I had a few extra chicken breasts in the freezer, I thought Country Captain Chicken would be perfect. It’s always easy to make, but using a jarred marinara, makes it even easier — dinner was on the table in about 30 minutes. So the next time you find yourself with a couple extra chicken breasts and some jarred marinara on the shelf, put them together and have a deliciously filling meal.

Country Captain Chicken

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
2 cups jarred marinara sauce

Directions

In a large bowl combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture so that its coated on all sides.
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Add onion, pepper, celery, curry powder, and thyme to pan and cook until vegetables are soft, about five minutes. Add the marinara sauce and stir to blend with the vegetables. Reduce heat to low and add the chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes. Ladle chicken and vegetables over steamed rice and serve.