I am always impressed with how detailed Nicholas Sparks writes. After reading some of my favorite novels by him, such as “Dear John” and “The Lucky One,” I wanted to make a dinner that takes a little bit longer to make.

The recipes and dinners that are featured in Sparks’ novels are filled with love and a special attention to detail. I have developed an inspired baked chicken recipe with a side of mushroom rice that I think would be perfect to make on a rainy day or when you want to make a dinner that takes a little more planning.

Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup brown rice
½ cup water
1 mushroom, diced

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Chop rosemary and mince garlic. Line baking pan with two sheets of tin foil.

2. Brush olive oil onto the chicken. Then, place the chicken breast on one piece of tin foil.

3. Sprinkle the rosemary and garlic on top of the chicken and squeeze half a lemon onto the chicken. The olive oil and lemon juice will keep the chicken moist while it is baking in the oven.

4. Cover the chicken with the second piece of tin foil and fold the edges inward to seal the chicken inside. Put the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. To make the mushroom rice, boil the water, then add the rice and cook for 30-35 minutes.

6. Dice the mushrooms and fry them on a pan until they are golden brown.

7. Once the rice is cooked, mix the mushrooms and rice together and serve with the baked chicken.

Christina Saschin can be reached at [email protected] or @Stina127 on Twitter.