Smoky Chicken Breast & Veggies

~From Penzeys Spices Catalog (2007)

1-1/2 pounds small new potatoes
1 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 x 1/2-inch strips (I used 2 chicken breasts)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon Smoked Spanish Paprika
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon thyme, divided
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced

Potato Dressing:
2 teaspoons Country French Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Base
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar

Directions:
** Wash and slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch rounds. Place in pan of boiling water; boil 6 to 8 minutes until fork tender. Drain. Let dry in a medium bowl. Mix Country French Dressing Base with water; let stand a few minutes; whisk with oil and vinegar. Coat potatoes with dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

** I totally skipped /changed the above step. First, I (gasp) didn’t use Penzeys brand spices and therefore, did not have their Country French Dressing Base on hand.

Rather, I simply sliced the potatoes and layered them up in a casserole dish, drizzled with a bit of olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, tossed to coat well, covered them with foil, and put them in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes, removing foil halfway through.

To make the Chicken:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large, heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add chicken. Season with half the Smoked Spanish Paprika, half Lemon Pepper Seasoning, and half the Thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is done (nicely browned on all sides). Remove from pan.

While the chicken is cooking, slice onion and peppers into strips. Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan if necessary. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes, stirring. Add bell peppers and season with the rest of the spices. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes until everything is crisp-tender. Stir the chicken back in, heat through. Remove to plates and serve with the potatoes.

Okay, here’s the Review:

It makes a pretty plate: Red and orange pepper strips always make for an eye-pleasing plate. The paprika stained chicken, flecks of black pepper, and slightly caramelized onion just add to the appeal of this dish.

However...My first thought on reading the recipe was Spanish Paprika AND Lemon Pepper – Both ?? Really ??

It just doesn’t seem like lemon and paprika play well together but, who am I to say? I don’t think I likely have an exceptionally sophisticated palate (caviar = YUCK) so … well, I thought I would try it.

I was right. They don’t play well together, at least not on my taste buds. One or the other would have been wonderful.

I LOVE smoky and/or sweet Spanish Paprika. It’s really perfect on chicken and I use it ... a lot.

I also love lemon pepper seasoning, and it’s perfectly scrumptious on chicken, too, but I think it’s a better seasoning for fish.

So, although it passed for dinner, this particular recipe won't be included in my menu repertoire again. I would, however, make it with just one or the other, not both, of the seasonings.