All-American Monday Night Dinner

Happy Nom Nom Monday!  Today's dish is a classic American Monday Night Dinner.  Pan seared chicken breast, crispy baked potatoes, and cheesy zucchini.  This dish takes little to no time to prepare, yet it's still flavorful and filling.  

Ingredients: (for two people)

- 2 chicken breast (boneless skinless)

- 2 russet potatoes

- 1 medium zucchini

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese

- 2 tablespoons of butter

- 1 tablespoon of sour cream

- salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Scrub the potatoes, pat dry, and puncture a few times with a fork.  Brush about a tablespoon of olive oil onto the potatoes, and sprinkle salt over them.  Then place on the middle rack of the oven (if it's reached the desired temperature), and place a bit of tin foil on the rack below to catch any drippings.  They should take about 45 minutes to cook.  

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the zucchini by rinsing them off, cut the ends off, and then slice in half length wise.  Rub butter on a baking dish large enough to accommodate the zucchini.  Then place the zucchinis in the dish, and sprinkle the cheese on top of them.  Any type of cheese will be yummy.  I used cheddar, and a packaged mix of 3 Italian cheeses.  Also add some small pats of butter on top of the cheeses, and then season with pepper.  They will take about 20 minutes to cook, so once there is about that much time remaining on the potatoes stick them in with them.    

After you've prepared the zucchini, season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides.  Once their is only about 10 - 15 minutes left on the potatoes, heat a skillet large enough to fit both breast with the remaining bit of olive oil.  Then gentle place the breast in the pan after about a minute.  Flip only once, and each side should only take about five minutes, or longer depending on how thick the chicken is.  

Once everything is done, dish up and serve.  I added some sour cream, butter, and some salt and pepper to the baked potato.  

This dish was so savory and filling.  Adding cheese to the zucchini is a great solution for anyone who might be a bit hesitant to try this great winter veggie.  I can't believe how easy this was to prepare either.  I could make this every night!  Happy Nom Nom Monday, and happy DIYing, chris!