With the Super Bowl over and done (what did you think of the game and those commercials?!!) we can now concentrate on the second food holiday of the month:  Valentine's Day! Now, maybe you're lucky enough to have someone taking you out for a wonderful surprise meal--hint, hint--but if not, or if you just feel like staying in, this Raspberry Chicken will definitely put your loved one (and you) in that lovey-dovey mood!!

This dish hits a home run in the romance department on so many levels! First off, there are those lovely intensely red raspberries that add such a welcome splash of color and flavor during this rather drab time of year. Next, is how easily the whole thing comes together. One of the pitfalls of making your love a romantic dinner is slaving away all day in the kitchen, an act that my husband will attest leads to a slightly cranky wife--not exactly conducive to a romantic evening, right? But this dish comes together in less than an hour with little hands-on time, leaving you happy, carefree and cuddly!!

And best of all, it tastes great!! The chicken is tender, the sauce awakens your tastebuds with notes of lemon and balsamic vinegar and the raspberries add that sweet/tartness that only raspberries can! You're going to love it...and really, isn't that what all this is about?!!

Raspberry Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time:  45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and black pepper for seasoning chicken
• 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced (or any kind you like)
• 1/2 pint raspberries (fresh preferably, but you could use frozen in a pinch)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

The Recipe

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off any excess. When oil is very hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides until lightly brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.

2.  Add shallot and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Add in the mushrooms, lower the heat and top with the chicken and any liquid that has accumulated on the plate. Cover the pan and cook for at least 15 minutes or until chicken is entirely cooked through. Stir in the raspberries, lemon zest, butter and vinegar and let cook uncovered for another minute or two so that the butter melts. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary and serve immediately with something good and starchy to sop up all the delicious gravy.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Trisha's Table by Trisha Yearwood. I subbed in extra chicken broth instead of the wine because I didn't have an open bottle and also tinkered around with the proportions of mushrooms and raspberries.