Low Fat Chicken with Artichokes

As much as I love artichokes, I admit to being intimidated by them, even now. The first time I was given a whole artichoke to tackle at a dinner party, I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Fortunately my host spotted my panic-stricken face and offered to demonstrate to all her guests how to get to the heart of the artichoke, showing us which parts to nibble and which bits to discard. For those of you up to the challenge, Brett Moore, About's Guide to Gourmet Food, can show you exactly how to prepare an artichoke in his excellent step-by-step tutorial.

But for everyday purposes, and for recipes requiring a number of artichoke hearts, I suggest using canned or jarred artichokes, as I did for this low fat chicken with artichokes recipe. If you opt for the quick route, choose water-packed artichokes rather than oil-packed ones.

_{Photo © 2006 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About, Inc.}