Chicken sauteed in a savory orange sauce is an unusual, tangy Mexican dish. Rice with green peppers makes a simple side dish.

This recipe is adapted from one given me by a Mexican friend. Many food lovers thought of Mexican cooking in terms of tacos, tamales and tongue-scorching salsas, but now people are beginning to understand the subtle flavor distinctions that make Mexican food a truly great cuisine.

A nice, fat California chardonnay would be a good match. This meal—which serves two—contains 533 calories per serving with 24 percent of calories from fat.

Mexican Orange Chicken

3 tablespoons flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped or diced red onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup orange juice

4 orange slices for garnish (optional)

Place flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into seasoned flour, making sure all sides are coated. Shake off excess flour. Heat olive oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion and garlic. Brown chicken 2 minutes, turn and brown second side 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving the onion and garlic in the skillet. Stir the orange juice into the skillet, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Lower heat to medium and return chicken to skillet. Cover with a lid and cook, gently, 5 minutes until chicken is no longer pink inside. A meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion should read 170 degrees. If skillet becomes dry, add a little more orange juice or a little water. Remove from skillet to two dinner plates, spoon sauce and onion on top and garnish with orange slices, if using.

Per serving: 298 calories, (21 percent from fat) 7.0 g fat (1.3 g saturated, 3.0 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 38.3 g protein, 18.9 g carbohydrates, 1.0 g fiber, 201 mg sodium

Green Pepper Rice

1 package microwave brown rice

1 cup frozen diced/chopped green bell pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Microwave rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2 cups of rice and reserve remaining rice for another time. Defrost green pepper in microwave for 45 seconds and add to rice. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 235 calories, (27 percent from fat), 7.2 g fat, (1.0 g saturated, 4.1 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 4.4 g protein, 32.7 g carbohydrates, 2.8 g fiber, 13 mg sodium.