Chicken in a Garden

Now this sounds like it should be delicious, just based on the name. All the goodness associated with the garden, and preferably your own, the bounty of your backyard. The lettuce can be your favourite, Boston or mixed greens or mesculin mix, baby spinach, romaine, all leap to mind that should be excellent in this dish. Perhaps, too, I would add a little shredded cheese to sprinkle over top of this. When you are creating the butter sauce, make sure to scrape off the sticky brown bits on the pan, those are the bits with flavour. This is another of the old recipes I found in my mother's recipe box, I don't know where she got it originally. It was delicious, I can say. I paired it with this strawberry wine, made from strawberries from the East Coast of Canada, which was also great.

Chicken in a Garden
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (450 g total)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
1 clove garlic, halved
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 cups shredded lettuce

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets plastic wrap; pound to 1/2" thickness (or use rolling pin).

Mix flour, paprika and salt; coat chicken with flour mixture, shake to remove excess. In 12" skillet over medium heat, heat oil; add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden (3 minutes). With slotted spoon, remove and discard garlic. Add two chicken breasts to skillet; cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes each side, until golden. Remove to platter. Repeat with other two chicken breasts.

To juices in skillet, add butter, lemon juice, basil, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat, until butter melted.

Chop tomatoes. Sprinkle shredded lettuce and tomatoes over chicken on platter. Pour hot butter mixture over.