One-pan meals are a thing of wonder, particularly now when the kids are back in school and many schedules, once again, are packed with extracurricular activities. Ball practice and ballet lessons fill our afternoons, whether you’re a parent or grandparent lending a helping hand, leaving little time for cooking and cleaning.
So back to those one-pan dinners. Most, including this one, require just one skillet, but in actuality, most will have you dirtying perhaps a plate and/or maybe a small bowl to get dinner on the table.
Sour cream chicken is an example of a simple, one-dish dish entree that will feed the family. The original recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but I’ve found that boneless, skinless chicken thighs work so much better. Not only are they less expensive, they also add a more intense depth of flavor. Certainly, though, if you’re not a fan of dark meat, use the chicken breasts. Either way, you’ll spend little time prepping. All that’s needed is chopping onions and mixing the sour cream sauce that takes the chicken to a new level of deliciousness.
This is wonderful served over rice, and if you do, consider making extra sauce to use as a gravy. It’s also nice with mashed potatoes and a simple salad for a complete, tasty dinner. Leftover are also good — if there are any left. When I’m serving this to my grandkids, leftovers are rare.
Sour Cream Chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cube chicken bouillon or 1 teaspoon chicken base
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup full-fat sour cream
Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with spice mixture. Set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil. When the butter stops sizzling, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
To the same skillet, add remaining butter. Increase heat to medium-high. When butter is melted, add seasoned chicken breasts to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken and return onions to the skillet, placing around and on top of chicken. Stir in minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Dissolve chicken bouillon cube in hot water; add to the skillet with white wine, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, until chicken is no longer pink at the center, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the center should read at least 165 degrees F.
Remove chicken to plate that held the onions and stir sour cream into the sauce in skillet, making sure all the onions are incorporated. Return chicken to skillet, and spoon some of the sour cream sauce and onions over the chicken. Makes 4-6 servings.
Contact features writer Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.
