If anyone were to ask what the most delicious region in romance-capital France is, chances are the answer is going to be Paris. After all, what in Paris isn’t delicious? There are delicious crépes, delicious wine and, of course, delicious-looking men and women.

However, there are many regions in France known solely for their deliciousness — in fact, it could be said some are more famous for their unique flavors than Paris is. One of these regions is Brittany, a popular vacation spot on the western coast of France.

While Brittany is perhaps best known for its fresh seafood, Breton cuisine is also famous for prioritizing the quality of ingredients that go into its dishes and sauces. In other words, making sure the food in each dish is as fresh and tasty as possible.

So this weekend, instead of laboring to secure a reservation for a cramped table at a crowded restaurant, take a cue from the Bretons and make it fresh. After all, what better way to say “I love you” than a home-cooked meal?

Today’s recipe is an Americanized version of a popular Breton dish: blanc de poulet aux échalotes, or sautéed chicken breast with shallots and garlic. The original recipe was provided by “Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare: A French Country Cookbook” by Jane Sigal, with a few modifications.

There are a wide variety of vegetable sides that can be prepared with this dinner, including steamed green beans, sautéed asparagus or baby carrots. This specific meal was prepared with sautéed spinach in garlic and olive oil.

The entire dish costs less than $30, which includes a decent bottle of white wine the 21 and older crowd can use to prepare the meal and enjoy afterward. For those seeking a wine substitute, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar should do the trick. However, it wouldn’t be recommended to drink that afterward. Instead, stick with Martinelli’s sparkling cider.

In order to create a proper French atmosphere during both cooking and eating the dish, put on some modern indie French crooners, such as Carla Bruni or Coeur de Pirate. After dinner, grab the remote for Netflix and turn on Amélie for a bit of cinematic romance.

When setting the table, make sure to create an atmosphere of comfort, romance and style. Use cloth napkins, polish the silverware and light one red candle on a white plate as the centerpiece. Red is the color of love, power and energy — all of which may be needed later on, should the dinner be successful.

Chicken Dish

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Vermentino 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

1 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sautéed Spinach Dish

One bunch of spinach, washed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

How to Prepare

The first step is to warm the butter and olive oil over moderately high heat in a medium-sized sauté pan until the butter starts to foam. Add the chicken breasts and cook them for a couple of minutes on each side until they are lightly browned. Be sure to juice the chicken breasts on each side with fresh lemon juice while they’re in the pan.

Afterward, remove the chicken breasts from the pan. Sprinkle the top of each chicken breast with one teaspoon of herbes de Provence and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

While the chicken breasts are cooking in the oven, it’s time to make the sauce. First, be sure to lower the heat in the pan to medium-low, so the shallots don’t burn. Add the shallots to the sauté pan and cook, stirring until they look translucent. This will take about one or two minutes. Afterward, add the garlic and cook until the aroma starts to fill the room, which takes about one minute.

Increase the heat back to medium-high and pour in the wine and chicken stock, stirring constantly for the first 20 to 30 seconds so any previous browning from the butter can mix in. Let the mixture come to a light boil and have it simmer until the amount of liquid in the pan is reduced to 1/2 cup, which will take about five to 10 minutes.

After the liquid has reduced in size, stir in the cream and one teaspoon of salt and bring the mixture to a boil. By this time the chicken should be almost ready — if it isn’t, lower the pan’s heat to medium-low and let it lightly simmer.

By the time the chicken is ready, return it to the pan. Cover the pan and cook the chicken for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, making sure the mixture is simmering just a little bit.

While the chicken is cooking in the pan, the sautéed spinach can be prepared. Sauté the garlic and olive oil in a medium-sized pan on medium heat, rotating the garlic and oil around the pan’s surface until it is completely coated. Once the garlic and olive oil are hot enough, add the spinach and cook until it turns bright green and slightly wilted, which takes about two to three minutes. Be sure to constantly stir the spinach in the pan, otherwise the olive oil can make it too soggy. After it’s cooked, add salt and pepper to taste.

By this time, the chicken should be just about ready. Remove it from the pan and plate it, spooning just enough sauce to fully coat the chicken. Serve the chicken with the sautéed spinach and remaining white wine.

Bon appétit!