Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Earthy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken

The mushrooms in this dish really shine. There is such an earthy flavor going on. It is hearty enough for any appetite - full of veggies, lean protein and very little oil used. Excellent meal to serve any weeknight. It comes together quickly and uses only 1 pot. Also most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so no need to make an extra trip to the store. 


I used baby bellas, as they stand up well during the cooking process. I didn't discard the stems though. I cut up the stems and used them in this recipe. It helps make the flavor earthy and full. I really like using chicken thighs, as they tend to stay moist and have a bit more flavor than chicken breast. This meal can be easily halved or doubled, depending on how many mouths you need to feed. It is great for leftovers or next day lunch. The flavors really come together the second time around. 


I opted to toss the spinach, mushroom and chicken mixture with freshly cooked pasta, but it is completely optional. By omitting the pasta, this is a wonderful Primal, Low-Carb or Gluten-Free meal. Same goes for the cheese that I used as a garnish - completely optional. By omitting the cheese, this is a dairy-free. 




Earthy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken


Cook Time: < 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 4 


Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 lb of organic boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tsp of Herbs de Provence 
  • 2 tbsp organic tomato paste
  • 8oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (use stems)
  • 1/2 cup frozen organic chopped spinach
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine (I used Shiraz) or chicken stock

Optional:

  • 8oz of dry spaghetti (cook according to directions on container)
  • freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 
  • fresh parsley, minced 

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. 


Optional: Heat another large pot with salted water - for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to directions


Add the diced onions to the oil and saute for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Make sure to stir every so often.


Add the chicken thighs, salt & pepper, Herbs de Provence. Let the chicken thighs brown on 1 side for about 5 minutes, then turn. Cook for another 5 minutes. 


Add the tomato paste, mushrooms and spinach. Stir in well. Cook for about 5 minutes. 




Add the red wine and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook out. 


Serve as is, or as I chose to - tossed with spaghetti, Parm and parsley.


Nutritional Info per Serving (not including optional toppings/pasta):
Calories: 215 ; Fat: 6g ; Carbohydrates: 12g ; Fiber: 3g ; Sugar: 2g ; Protein: 26g

16 comments:

  1. I wish I had more variety of mushrooms here.. :) I'm sick of those button mushrooms :)
    Your chicken looks yummy..

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    1. Thanks! I'm sorry you don't have a variety of mushrooms available. Have you checked the frozen foods section to see if they have any other types?

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  2. looks really nice, flavorful and healthy

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  3. I love one pot meals. This is something I would serve my family and know they'd love it. YUM!

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    1. Me too! 1 Pot means less clean up. My kind of meal.

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks for pinning! I'm so addicted to Pinterest!

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  5. What a great recipe, this looks amazing! :)

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  6. Looks really lovely! I would definitely keep the pasta and the cheese!

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    1. The pasta is perfect with it. Not too heavy.

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  7. A beautiful recipe my friend, it looks filling healthy and delish :)

    Cheers
    CCU

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  8. Hmm, this looks like the perfect recipe for the leftover chicken I have from last night's dinner party. =) Instead of spaghetti, I'll give your recipe a try using penne noodles and lots of cheese.

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  9. Hi Laurie, I made this tonight and it was delicious! I used chicken breasts cut up in pieces because that's what I had on hand. Also, I used chicken broth and no cheese. We have food allergies. I served it over brown rice noodles. Who knew something so healthy cld taste so good! God bless you for taking the time to share ur amazing food!

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