chicken puttanesca ⁑

Puttanesca (or “Put on a Ski”†) sauce is one of my favorite Italian flavorings, typically served over pasta. But for dietary reasons, I have to limit carbohydrates, so I often use it for other, less G.I.-intense main course entreés. The following recipe for Pollo e Salsicia alla Puttanesca is an easy preparation for a savory and appetizing, wonderfully delectable meal.

  • 1 Italian sausage link, in ¼” slices (I prefer the hot variety)
  • 2 chicken thighs, skinned, boned, and sliced
  • ½ cup “Put on a Ski”†) sauce

Spray a sauté pan with olive oil spray and add the sausage. Cook on a medium-high range for a few minutes, until the fat begins to render and brown.

Add the chicken and brown it, as well. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the mixture cook until the chicken has reached at least 165° F.

Add the puttanesca sauce, stir, and let simmer another 5 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice, if you can eat it, or over cauliflower rice† , if you cannot.

Serves 2.

Chicken Provençale ♯

Provence (pronounced pro-vonse) is a French maritime region in the départment of Bouches-du-Rhône famed for its wines and cuisine. The term a la Provençale is used to describe a dish that uses products that abound in this area, namely tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olives. That pretty much sums up what this recipe has in it.

To be more authentic, I suppose, a French olive, such as the green salt-brine cured picholine, should be used, if you can find them in your stores. If you would rather use Greek kalamata olives, you can call the dish Mediterranean Chicken. I use regular American salad olives and retain the Provençale cognomen anyway, as it is certainly in this style.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 chicken thighs, skinned and boned, fat removed
  • 2 cups onion, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp garlic purée
  • ½ tsp dried leaf oregano
  • ½ tsp dried leaf thyme
  • ¼ <salt>
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 cups tomatoes, skinned and cubed
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • ¼ cup capers
  • ½ cup salad (or other) olives, quartered

Brown the chicken in the oil at high heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook on medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, tomatoes, wine, capers, and chicken and simmer 20 minutes. Add the olives and simmer another 15 minutes.

Serve with a modest serving of steamed brown rice, per your glycemic tolerance.