Baked Garlic Chicken served with Bacon Mashed Potatoes and Beet-Arugula Salad

This chicken recipe I got from Marc's mom. She made it one night with baked potatoes and I nearly died. It was amazing. So after raving about it, she gave marc and I the spices so I could make it. So sweet! Like most recipes, this was told to me verbally so I'm sure that I don't make it exactly the same way...which is probably why it never turns out as good as when she makes it.

Tonight I decided that I wanted to use up some of the random things in my fridge like basil, heavy cream and bacon, soooo.....I made rather unhealthy mashed potatoes to go with the meal. I also made a beet-arugula salad. But other than the potatoes, the meal is really healthy. Serious food for fall!

This dish serves about 4.



A note about timing...
I would recommend boiling the potatoes and beets while the bacon (and then onions cook). Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. When the potatoes/beets are done cooking, throw the chicken in the oven to bake. While the chicken is baking, finish the potatoes and throw the salad together.

For the Chicken

5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t kosher salt
Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Seasonings:
- 3/4 t Original Lemon Pepper Marinade and Seasoning
- 3/4 t Original Mixed-Up Pepper Marinade and Seasoning
1 lb chicken tenderloins

1. Mix garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, lemon pepper, mixed-up pepper, chicken in a pyrex or creuset dish.
2. Let marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or more. (I did this because I was preparing the meal in advance. I'm sure it would taste just as good if you did not marinate it).
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until no longer pink.




For the Mashed Potatoes

3 red potatoes
3 slices of bacon
1 small red onion, chopped into small pieces
2 T heavy cream
2 T 1% milk
1 T butter
sea salt
black pepper

1. Wash the potatoes. Cut into small chunks. In a medium sized pot, cover the potatoes with water and boil for about 20 minutes or until tender with a fork. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. 


2. While the potatoes are cooking, fry bacon in a small frying pan. When brown, remove bacon and place on a plate in between two paper towels to remove excess grease. Pour almost all the remaining bacon grease out of the frying pan. Then chop the bacon up into small bits.

Then add onions to the pan and saute until brown.

3. Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add heavy cream, milk and a large dash of freshly grated sea salt and black pepper.
4. Use a hand mixer and whip potatoes until creamy. Add crushed bacon and onions. Whip again until combined.  Then melt butter in pot used to boil potatoes. Add potatoes and mix until combined. Add additional salt and pepper if desired.





For the Beets

2 Beets
sea salt
black pepper
Rind 1/2 lemon
juice from 1/2" slice of lemon
~1 T basil, chopped into large pieces
a large dash of parmesan cheese
4 large handfuls of baby arugula

1. Wash beets. Cut rough ends off, place in a medium sized pot, and cover with water.
2. Boil beets for about an hour or until they are tender when stabbed with a fork.
3. Place beets in a bowl of cold water. Using your fingers smooth away beet skin.
4. Chop beets into large chunks. Again place in cold water so they stop cooking.

5. Drain beets and transfer to a large bowl. Season with a large dash of freshly grated sea salt and black pepper, lemon rind, lemon juice, basil, and parmesan cheese. Mix until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over handfuls of arugula.

 

This is a good dish to feed your hungry boyfriend...

 ...and some Leffe beer goes nicely with it!