Use vermouth for tarragon chicken with orzo, chives

Fresh herbs, poultry and a little vermouth are all you need for this simple French dish that is full of flavor. Use a skillet that just fits the chicken in one layer. If it is too large, the sauce will evaporate.

Helpful hints

■ Make sure the dried tarragon leaves are still green, not gray or brown.

■ Sliced fresh onions can be found in the produce section of the supermarket.

■ Orzo are tiny, rice shaped pasta. Other small pasta can be substituted.

■ A quick way to chop chives is to snip them with a scissors.

Countdown

■ Place a pot of water for pasta on to boil first.

■ Prepare chicken.

■ Finish pasta.

Shopping list:

To buy: 2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 carton half-and-half, 1 small bottle dry vermouth, 1 can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth, 1 bottle dried tarragon, 1 box orzo, 1 container fresh sliced onion, 1 container sliced carrots, 1 bunch chives

Staples: flour, olive oil, salt, black peppercorns.

TARRAGON CHICKEN

2 tablespoons flour 2 6-ounce boneless,

skinless chicken breasts 2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup fresh sliced onion ⅔ cup dry vermouth Salt and freshly ground

black pepper

⅔ cup fat-free, lowsodium chicken broth 1 1/2-teaspoons dried

tarragon

1 tablespoon half and half

Place flour on a plate. Remove visible fat from chicken and press both sides into the flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet, just large enough to hold chicken on one layer, over mediumhigh heat. Add chicken, carrots and onion. Brown chicken 3 minutes turn and brown 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add vermouth and reduce about 30 to 40 seconds. Add chicken broth and reduce by half, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to pan and finish cooking about 3 to 4 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 165 degrees. Remove to the plate. Sprinkle tarragon into sauce and cook a few seconds to warm. Add half and half and mix well. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 339 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 g total fat, 2.2 g saturated fat, 4.9 g monounsaturated fat, 111 mg cholesterol, 414 mg sodium, 13.4 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugars, 39 g protein Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 5 lean meat, 1/2 alcohol

ORZO AND CHIVES

1/2 cup orzo

1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped

chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and boil 8 to 9 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Remove 2 tablespoon water to a bowl. Add olive oil and mix together. Drain orzo and add to bowl with the chives. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 232 calories, 28 calories from fat, 3.1 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 1.7 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 42.7 g carbohydrate, 1.9 g dietary fiber, 1.5 g sugars, 7.5 g protein

Exchanges: 3 starch