Easy Chicken "auf toskanische Art"

I had some fun adventures in cooking last week, culminating in both satisfaction and mild disappointment. At the farmer's market last Saturday I bought a couple of incredibly tender organic chicken breasts, which ended up being a bit expensive, but well worth it. I also picked up a lot of fresh, organic veggies. I had thought about making a chicken stir fry with everything, but then I came upon this Tuscan chicken recipe in my German cookbook. This was the first time I followed a German recipe, so it was quite an adventure. I was also limited to what was in my kitchen. For example, the recipe called for cherry tomatoes and brandy. I used regular tomatoes (chopped) and white wine vinegar. I also decided to add zucchini, since I had one in the house that was about to go bad. Turns out, it was a great addition.

This dish is quick and easy to prepare (about 20 min), and you can improvise, based on what you happen to have lying around your kitchen. A great meal for during the week!

Ingredients:
1/8 c of butter
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp brandy/white wine vinegar
4 oz (cherry) tomatoes
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, cubed
1/4-1/2 c white wine (if you use white wine vinegar, I'd stick with 1/4 c)
pepper, to taste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan or wok. Add the chicken and saute until the meat turns white, about 4 minutes. Add the brandy (or vinegar), followed by the tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini. Stirring frequently, cook for about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the wine, and season with rosemary and pepper. Let simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced somewhat and the mixture is slightly more concentrated. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving (optional).



P.S. I mixed the leftovers from this dish with the leftovers from my experiment with pesto pasta to make a really tasty combo-dish.