Chicken in a spicy sauce with peppers and onions is good at all times. However, it is especially good in winter.

INGREDIENTS

1 Medium sized chicken (2 to 3 lbs)
3 Cups fresh chopped plum tomatoes (or use canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped)
1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil
1 Large sweet green pepper, seeded and sliced
1 Large roasted onion, fairly thick sliced
1 Serrano chile pepper, finely sliced*
2 Cloves garlic
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp olive oils
1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil
1 Cup dry white wine
1 Cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut chicken into serving size and sprinkle salt and pepper on all pieces. Set aside. Sauté onion in butter and oil over medium-high heat until onions are slightly transparent, then add garlic and stir. Bring heat up and add chicken pieces. Cook chicken until it is brown on all sides.

Add wine to chicken, onion and garlic mix. Stir and scrape the bottom of pan to loosen all the flavorings. Add sweet green pepper and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add chicken broth, chopped tomatoes and hot pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking about 15-20 more minutes or until chicken is done. Turn heat off, sprinkle with chopped basil. Cover for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with broad egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes. Have plenty of warmed crusty bread for this dish.

This chicken with peppers and onions dish is excellent served over polenta.+

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Hint
*Be sure to wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. Serrano chili peppers are quite hot. Serrano chile peppers are very hot, you may want to add half of the pepper and taste before adding remaining half.
*Prepared polenta can be purchased in most supermarkets.
*Roasted peppers directions.

+Like grits, polenta is no longer at the lower end of the economic scale. A little still goes a long way, but now it is served in restaurants upscale restaurants. Instant polenta and already prepared polenta can be found in many supermarkets. I have found instant polenta in the section where oatmeal and grits are found. In my supermarket the prepared polenta is in the deli section. It comes in a package much like prepared cookie dough (but much larger) and can be sliced and heated.