Randy and I were talking about healthy recipes on last week's 12/5/09 "Vital Signs" show. The following is a healthier version of a recipe for "Birds of Paradise" that my mother-in-law Pat Tobler gave me many years ago. Please note that the members of our family are major "sauce" eaters, so if the amount of liquid on the "Birds of Paradise" is too much for you, you can reduce some of the chicken broth and wine, and if you want a thicker sauce, you can add a little corn starch to the sauce mixture in a separate pan after it comes out of the oven and make it thicker. The original recipe calls for 1 to 1/2 sticks of butter.

This recipe make the difference in flavor by the added chicken broth and wine, but the smaller amount of olive oil (1/4 cup) still gives it that touch of moistness. Enjoy it, my family requests it at least once per month!

Heliene Tobler
TheVirtualCheckup.com

BIRDS OF PARADISE

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
2 egg whites
1/4 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin or light)
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or finely ground almonds)
Seasoning of your choice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup cheap white wine

Whip egg whites with a fork in one bowl, then combine parmesan and bread crumbs in another bowl, coat boneless chicken breasts with the egg white first, then with the parmesan, bread crumb (or almond) mixture and a sprinkling of the seasoning of your choice (we use Smoky Mesquite seasoning, you can use the seasoned salt of your choice).   Heat up skillet with olive oil and sear chicken breasts with mixture, breasts do not have to be totally cooked.  Arrange breasts in cooking pan for oven, pour mixture of chicken broth, white wine and remaining olive oil from pan over breasts.  Take remaining cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over mixture.  Put pan in oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees, watch cheese “sprinkles” for browning, put aluminum foil on top of pan if becoming too brown.  Serves 3-4, depending on appetite.