This recipe was annotated for Charles Mickelson by Gerie Ventura. I love her sense of humor!
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
14 oz can marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained with liquid reserved
1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1 C white wine
1 tsp capers
1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat; brown chicken in oil and butter for 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Season means the act of putting spices on food; Brown means you cook the chicken until it is brown on the outside (all of pink or raw chicken has turned to brown or cooked. If in doubt, cut into the chicken and make sure you don’t have brown on the outside and pink in the middle) If it is not, then keep on cooking for a minute or two.
2. Place the artichoke hearts and mushrooms in skillet and saute until mushrooms are brown and tender. Return chicken to the skillet and pour in reserved artichoke liquid and wine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. “Saute” means you push some uncooked food around a pan, usually in some sort of oil or butter or stock and some other cooking lubricant at a medium heat (not your highest heat possible on the stove, but the middle) until the food is cooked, usually softer, not raw any more) If you saute for too long, the result is usually overcooked vegetables mushy and they’ve been cooked for so long they’ve lost their vitamins but they are still edible and OK. Overcooked mushrooms also get really small. “Juices run clear” means when you cut into a piece of meat and instead of red (blood) the juices are clear, usually oils from the meat.
3. Stir in the capers and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, serve immediately. “Immediately” means now, as opposed to later, or when you feel like it, or after a shower.