Culinary success

My boyfriend is the pickiest eater you will ever meet. Even pickier than me, which is hard for my friends and family to believe since they can't comprehend why I do not--in most cases-- like cheese. I know, I know, so shoot me. Anyway, RR as I will call him, really does have the hardest palate to please. I mean, he doesn't even like mashed potatoes! So it was a huge accomplishment when I made this chicken recipe two weeks ago and he loved it. It was so tasty that I made it again last week.

For me, the secret ingredient is Herbs de Provence. I had never used it before making this dish, but it sounds so fancy so I like it. The aromatic mix of herbs really is from the South of France and contains things like basil, rosemary and--get this-- lavender. But I can't take the credit for the recipe. I have to give props to Food Network, which I am obsessed with, and the show, Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee.

The Provence-style chicken recipe calls for four boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use the thin sliced ones because they cook faster and I just like them better) but you can size the marinade down or up depending on how many people you are feeding. Here's a rundown of how to make this delicious chicken for yourself:

Mix together in a small bowl-- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemonade concentrate (I use the Minute Maid stuff you get in the frozen foods section), 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (the original recipe calls for Champagne vinegar but it is like $10 a bottle and you are only going to use 1 tablespoon so save yourself some cash), 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence and 1 tablespoon citrus seasoning (I couldn't find this is my grocery store so I just used lemon pepper seasoning and it worked great).

Put the chicken in a ziplock bag and pour the mixture over the meat, squishing the bag to coat the breasts evenly. Marinate in the fridge for an hour or 2. Take out 30 minutes before cooking to get the chicken to room temp, then slap it on the grill (I use my Ikea grill pan, works like a charm) for about 5 minutes per side and there you have it-- dinner is done. I served it the first time with some roasted asparagus drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with lemon pepper. Yum.

Try it. You'll love it, I promise. I am by no means a great cook (my barren fridge and pantry prove it) but hey, the bf loved it so I must be doing something right.

Image via Sur La Table