Maple Mustard Chicken with Toasted Walnut Basmati Rice (serve with sauteed snow peas, frozen peas, and spinach)

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/3 c REAL maple syrup
• 1/4 c dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 c diced red onion
• 3 Tbsp olive oil (separated)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper

•  1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 c chopped walnuts

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup snow peas
• squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425.  Heat skillet on medium-high.  Add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Re-heat pan on (almost!) high heat and place chicken breasts in pan.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  When browned, about 6 minutes, turn the chicken breasts over.  Smear each with dijon mustard and then drizzle with maple syrup.  Swish the chicken around in the pan to mix, then cover with the mushroom/onion/garlic mixture and place in the oven to finish.  (about 20 minutes)

While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a sauce pan.  Add basmati rice and walnuts and toast lightly until just starting to brown and become fragrant.  Add 2 cups of hot water, and simmer on low heat for 13 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand about 3 minutes.

While rice and chicken are cooking, place snow peas, baby spinach, and frozen peas in skillet on med-high heat.  Saute, stirring often.  Squeeze lemon juice over the vegetable mixture.  This should be 'al dente' in about 8 minutes.  All of your components should be done!

To plate, arrange the vegetable mixture in a circle.  In the middle of the circle, place a scoop of the rice.  Place a chicken breast on top of that, and top with mushroom/sauce mixture from chicken pan.  Sprinkle with green onion slices.

Bon appetito!