Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Ready for an old favorite? One that I haven't made in a while and boy am I excited to make it coming up this week??
Tuscan Garlic Chicken.
Even those who don't like chicken breast will like this. Ahem, I'm referring to my father in law who will be eating this and slurping, I promise.
This is really a good recipe and I need to make sure I put it on the menu rotation soon as it's been a little while since we've made it ...
It may look like a lot of work but you CAN do it it parts and generally, that IS what I do as I don't like standing in the kitchen for hours on end at the end of the day, you know?
Here's what you need to make this really yummy dish ...
2 large chicken breast - slice them in half (which now I know, alternatively called butterflying!)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tbs salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
olive oil (ummm, says 5 tbs total, but I don't think I used that much)
4 cloves garlic, minced (or use the lovely garlic press)
5 sweet mini peppers, finely diced
6 ounces fresh spinach
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 cup milk
2 tbs corn starch
1/2 cup chicken broth
Ok, the ingredient list is a LITTLE out of order based on the way I wrote it while doing (the Kindle kept losing its wifi connection and the TV was blaring Kid Rock Radio (Pandora, gotta check it out if you don't use it yet), AND a bottle of white wine ... yeah, it was fun. The only way to deal with two of us in the kitchen!
Heat large non stick skillet and add some olive oil.
Mix flour, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano in a shallow dish (cake pan, pie plate, whatever)
and dredge chicken on both sides, shake off extra and place in pan. Cover with a splatter screen and let them babys brown on one side before turning over. Now, I had to scold Hubby as he was feeling the need to interfere in MY project ... he wanted to move my chicken ... it's like rice, leave it alone, don't touch, no peeking, etc. Once they are turning white on top, they should be sufficiently brown, so give them a flip (gently) and finish browning. Once done, place on a baking sheet lined with foil and stick in the oven at 350 to finish cooking (15 to 20 minutes).
Wipe out the skillet if you have too much oil in it still and reheat pan over medium heat. Add oil (2 tbs) and saute garlic and sweet peppers til softened. Stir in 1 tbs flour (NOTE: I used the season flour from dredging, whether you are comfortable doing THAT is up to you), and use a whisk to stir constantly for a minute.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth (I used veggie broth, that's what I had that was opened) and bring to simmer. Continue whisking non stop til thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. (Yell at Kindle as you read the directions, trying to reconnect to wifi and whisk - like patting head and rubbing tummy, can't do it).
Whisk cornstarch in with half and half, pour in to pan, along with milk and spinach. Give a quick stir and bring to a simmer.
Stir occasionally til spinach is wilted (stand back and say, ohhh that looks good).
Once the spinach is wilted, add the Parmesan cheese, stir and let melt.
Ok, here's where I 'cheated' ... I had pasta already made that was stashed in the freezer (learned this from Jackie Brown) ... and saved a lot of hassle on this day of all days! BUT, if you haven't tried freezing your leftover noodles, then you need to be boiling water and cooking up the noodles while you make your sauce (boil your water while doing the chicken and cook the pasta while doing the sauce) ...
Take half the sauce, add to the cooked, drained noodles and stir to coat. Serve up the pasta on a plate and top with a piece of chicken and top the chicken with a little of the reserved sauce.
Tuscan Garlic Chicken.
Even those who don't like chicken breast will like this. Ahem, I'm referring to my father in law who will be eating this and slurping, I promise.
This is really a good recipe and I need to make sure I put it on the menu rotation soon as it's been a little while since we've made it ...
It may look like a lot of work but you CAN do it it parts and generally, that IS what I do as I don't like standing in the kitchen for hours on end at the end of the day, you know?
Here's what you need to make this really yummy dish ...
2 large chicken breast - slice them in half (which now I know, alternatively called butterflying!)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tbs salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
olive oil (ummm, says 5 tbs total, but I don't think I used that much)
4 cloves garlic, minced (or use the lovely garlic press)
5 sweet mini peppers, finely diced
6 ounces fresh spinach
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 cup milk
2 tbs corn starch
1/2 cup chicken broth
Ok, the ingredient list is a LITTLE out of order based on the way I wrote it while doing (the Kindle kept losing its wifi connection and the TV was blaring Kid Rock Radio (Pandora, gotta check it out if you don't use it yet), AND a bottle of white wine ... yeah, it was fun. The only way to deal with two of us in the kitchen!
Heat large non stick skillet and add some olive oil.
Mix flour, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano in a shallow dish (cake pan, pie plate, whatever)
Wipe out the skillet if you have too much oil in it still and reheat pan over medium heat. Add oil (2 tbs) and saute garlic and sweet peppers til softened. Stir in 1 tbs flour (NOTE: I used the season flour from dredging, whether you are comfortable doing THAT is up to you), and use a whisk to stir constantly for a minute.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth (I used veggie broth, that's what I had that was opened) and bring to simmer. Continue whisking non stop til thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. (Yell at Kindle as you read the directions, trying to reconnect to wifi and whisk - like patting head and rubbing tummy, can't do it).
Whisk cornstarch in with half and half, pour in to pan, along with milk and spinach. Give a quick stir and bring to a simmer.
Stir occasionally til spinach is wilted (stand back and say, ohhh that looks good).
Just about there...where's the cheese?
Once the spinach is wilted, add the Parmesan cheese, stir and let melt.
Ok, here's where I 'cheated' ... I had pasta already made that was stashed in the freezer (learned this from Jackie Brown) ... and saved a lot of hassle on this day of all days! BUT, if you haven't tried freezing your leftover noodles, then you need to be boiling water and cooking up the noodles while you make your sauce (boil your water while doing the chicken and cook the pasta while doing the sauce) ...
Take half the sauce, add to the cooked, drained noodles and stir to coat. Serve up the pasta on a plate and top with a piece of chicken and top the chicken with a little of the reserved sauce.
To make it easier, I put the sauce in a dish for topping and dumped the
pasta in the skillet with rest of sauce
waiting on the chicken
Enoy!
This looks wonderful! We are hosting the Whisk It Wednesday Link Party and thought you might want to share there too! Have a wonderful week! Carrie@ Carrie's Home Cooking
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