Skillet Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach
and pesto roasted cauliflower
Chicken cooked in a skillet with aromatics and a light spinach sauce is both rustic and elegant. Give the main dish your full attention while the oven does all the work on a roasted cauliflower and pesto side dish.
Tags
Proteins
Cuisines
Ingredients
Pesto Roasted Cauliflower:
- Cauliflower florets - 1 lb
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Pesto (ingredients listed separately) - ~1/4 cup
Basil Pesto:
- Pine nuts - 2 Tbsp (sub walnuts or pecans)
- Garlic - 1 clove , peeled
- Basil leaves - 1 1/2 oz
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
- Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
Skillet Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach:
- Onions, medium - 1/2 , chopped
- Garlic - 3 cloves , chopped
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil - 1/2 cup , drained and chopped
- Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless - 1 lb (sub chicken breasts, halved)
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Arrowroot powder - 1 Tbsp
- Thyme, dried - 1/2 tsp
- Wine, white - 3/4 cup (sub stock)
- Stock, any type - 1/4 cup
- Spinach, baby - 3 oz
- Butter - 3 Tbsp
Prep
- Cauliflower / Onions / Garlic (portion for the chicken) / Sun-dried tomatoes - Prep as directed. Combine onions and tomatoes in one container. Store cauliflower and garlic in separate containers. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Make pesto - Double if making Thursday’s meal. Toast nuts in a dry skillet or frying pan until fragrant and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Peel garlic cloves (portion for the pesto). Place nuts, garlic, basil leaves and lemon juice into a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are well chopped. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Chicken - Season with some salt and pepper and tenderize with a fork. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
- Heat oven to 425F / 218C.
- Spread cauliflower florets out onto a sheet pan and cover tightly with foil. ‘Steam’ in oven for 10 minutes.
- While cauliflower steams, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the first part of cooking oil (portion for the chicken). When oil is hot, sear chicken until golden brown on both sides and nearly cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Once cauliflower has steamed, remove foil and toss with cooking oil (portion for the cauliflower) and some salt and pepper. Return pan to oven and roast until cauliflower is tender and golden brown, another 14 to 18 minutes.
- Return the skillet used to cook the chicken to medium-high heat and add second part of cooking oil (portion for the chicken). Add onions, sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Saute until onions are tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, arrowroot powder and dried thyme and stir until no dry spots remain, ~1 minute more. Pour wine over top and bring to a simmer. Simmer until wine has reduced by half, ~ 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low-medium and stir in stock, spinach and butter. Stir until butter melts. Nestle chicken in spinach and cover pan loosely with foil or with a lid, slightly ajar. Continue to cook until chicken is cooked through and spinach is wilted, 3 to 4 minutes more.
- When cauliflower is finished, toss with pesto (remember to reserve half if doubled).
- Serve chicken with cauliflower on the side. (The spinach and cooking liquid are great spooned over both the chicken and cauliflower.) Enjoy!
Reviews
Ratings
0 reviews