Beat high blood pressure with sautéed chicken with caramelized onions

Savoury sautéed chicken breasts are piled high with sweet mounds of cooked onions for a dinner that will have your family clucking with pleasure! Double the recipe to feed a larger flock.

Preparation time 7 minutes

Cooking time 22 minutes

Serves 4

• 750 g (1 1/2 lb) medium onions
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, 125 g (4 oz) each
• Salt to taste
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper, divided
• 60 ml (4 tsp) margarine, divided
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) superfine or granulated sugar, divided
• 75 ml (1/3 c) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh rosemary
• 5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh thyme
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar

1. Cut onions into 6 wedges each. Sprinkle chicken with 1 millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) salt and 1 millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) pepper.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add 10 millilitres (2 teaspoons) margarine and melt over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until browned, about 3 minutes on each side; transfer to plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining margarine in skillet. Sauté onions, 30 millilitres (1 tablespoon) sugar, and remaining salt and pepper until onions turn golden brown and caramelize, about 8 minutes. Stir frequently, breaking onions apart as they cook. Add broth and boil until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in rosemary, thyme and remaining sugar. Return chicken to skillet and sprinkle with vinegar. Cook, uncovered, until juices of chicken run clear, about 4 minutes.

Use caramelized onions to top any kind of homemade pizza, or stuff into pita bread along with fresh vegetables for a vegetarian sandwich. Or just serve as a side vegetable.

Use this recipe with boneless pork loin chops or turkey fillets instead of chicken.

Does chopping onions make you cry? It's the sulfuric compounds in the vegetable. Remedies: Leave the root end intact; it's where the compounds are concentrated. Or freeze the onion for 20 minutes before cutting to inhibit the chemical release. One trick we use: Light a candle near your chopping board as you cut the onions.

Caramelizing the onions enhances the rich flavour, making them much more palatable. The same cooking process can bring out the best flavour in other vegetables as well, including peppers and carrots.

Each serving provides:

Key nutrients: 240 Calories, 50 Calories from Fat, 6 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 1 g Trans Fat, 29 g Protein, 19 g Carb, 3 g Fibre, 140 mg Sodium

Blood pressure nutrients: 13 mg Vitamin C, 50 mg Magnesium, 565 mg Potassium, 55 mg Calcium