Fresh Oregano tends to be infested with aphids, thrips and other insects. Please check “Special Instructions” below for instructions on checking these for insect infestation.
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 green pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 onions, sliced in rings
1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced olives (black or green, depending on your preference)
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
Heat olive oil into a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned (3-4 minutes per side). Sprinkle the top of the chicken with oregano, salt and pepper. Add the peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives and mushrooms and cook, uncovered for 10 to 12 more minutes. Serve over rice.Fresh Herbs and Insect Infestation: Fresh Oregano and other herbs (including basil, thyme, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and sage) are often used as spices or garnishing. Aphids, thrips and other insects may often be found on the leaves and stems of these herbs. Insects tend to nestle in the crevices between the leaves and branches of herbs. These insects can curl up and stick to the leaf once they come in contact with water. Please Note: Curly leaf parsley is very difficult to check. It is therefore recommended that only flat leaf parsley be used. Vegetable spinners, power hoses, and light boxes are not always available in the home. We therefore recommend the following alternate procedure. Recommendation: In order to determine if a particular bunch of herbs is infested prior to washing, bang it several times over a white cloth. This is most important when checking oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme. If only one or two insects are found, proceed with the steps below. If three or more insects are detected in a particular bunch of herbs, it should not be used. Inspection: 1. Soak herbs in a solution of cold water and vegetable wash. The proper amount of vegetable wash has been added when some bubbles are observed in the water. (In the absence of vegetable wash, several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent may be used. However, for health reasons, thoroughly rinse off the soapy solution.) 2. Agitate the herbs in the soapy water, in order to loosen the sticking excretion of the bugs. 3. Using a heavy stream of water, thoroughly wash off the soap and other foreign matter from the herbs. 4. Check both sides of each leaf under direct light. 5. If one or two insects are found, rewash the herbs. 6. If any insects are found after repeating the agitation process twice, the entire bunch must be discarded.