Monday, February 2, 2015

Baked Chicken with Artichoke and Spinach

This dinner comes to me on a very windy afternoon!  We have just begun to leave the house after a week's long virus that literally put three of us on the sofa for a week.  Thankfully, as the wind creates chilly air, the germs are swirling their way into the robust world and out of our home.

Today's recipe is a one pot meal of Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Spinach.  I found the original recipe while searching through pinterest under paleo.  With my variation, I used some leftover Big Batch Chicken in place of raw chicken.  I purchased artichokes in juice from Aldi's and it tasted
great.   I don't know if this is a recipe that my children will particularly enjoy as I have made it for our dinner and leftover lunch.  A few chicken breast did the trick for me. Throw in whatever vegetables you have to use up.  The recipe is not definitive so be creative.

The What's:

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 chicken pieces (thighs, chicken breast, legs, etc...)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 can (14-ounces) quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained
 1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
1 bag (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach, cut in julienne strips
a handful of cherry tomatoes
½ cup vegetable broth

The How's:

Preheat oven to 425.  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet that's safe for stovetop and oven.  I opted for a cast iron skillet.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides; about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and set it on the side, leaving butter in skillet.  Add artichokes, onions, and carrots to the skillet.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken back into skillet, for 1 minute, placing spinach  and cherry tomatoes on top.  Remove from heat and add broth. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.   Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.

Plate and ladle liquid and veggies over chicken pieces.   Serve Warm and Enjoy.




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