The Closet Kitchen

When I was first married, my wife was a Hall Director at a university. This meant we lived in a dorm. In fact, we did that for a total of four years before we moved on. There were a lot of good things about it.

First – no rent or mortgage! Second – We had a crew that would come in and clean our bathroom (and yes, as the Hall Director and spouse, we had our own bathroom). Lastly, we each had a meal plan that we could eat on campus, so we didn’t have to cook if we didn’t want to.

That last perk was a very good thing as the “kitchen” in these rooms was very small. Think studio Manhattan apartment kitchenette and then cut it in half. We were in one hall for three years and the kitchen for that room was actually built into a closet across the hall. It had a half sized refrigerator, a tiny sink, a counter not much bigger than a piece of paper and a stove with two burners. As the hall I had to cross was the main one for the residents to go to get their own meals, I had to keep the door closed behind me or everyone would stop and want to know what was cooking (and ask if they could have some).

That is where I learned to love the one pan recipe. While it is fun to have multiple burners going at the same time, it can also be a little hectic in a normal sized kitchen, let alone a closet. This recipe fits the bill (one pan and then into the oven).

Creamy salsa chicken goodness.

I used two different types of mushrooms, and uncooked chicken.

Cut up the chicken and saute.

Set aside, then the mushrooms.

Spices….

In and out of the oven.

Oh-So-Good Chicken

Prep Time:5 min|  Cook Time: 40min  | Servings: 4 – 6 servings | Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 8 ounces boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced

Directions:

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. If chicken is not already cooked, saute the chicken. Remove and keep warm and saute the mushrooms.

Combine mushrooms, sour cream, cheese, salsa, rice, and chicken. Place in a greased casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes.

Nutritional Info:

Amount Per Serving Calories: 357 | Total Fat: 18.7g | Cholesterol: 65mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oh-So-Good-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=78339556&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2012-02-29&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1