One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

 

One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

Creamy chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in this easy Italian dinner done in 20 minutes. It's all done in one pan so you don't have to do dishes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 621 kcal

Author Christy Denney

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
• (optional) chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season chicken breasts well with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

2. Add the butter, onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese. Simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes, whisking until creamy.

4. Stir in the Parmesan and spinach and simmer until spinach has wilted. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will be. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to the pan in the sauce until warmed then serve. Garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired. Serve plain, over pasta, or over cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.

Recipe Notes

CAN I USE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?

Yes, just skip step one and add the chicken to the sauce at the end until warm.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Nutrition Facts

One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 621Calories from Fat 459

% Daily Value*

Fat 51g78%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 44g88%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Steak Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

 

image 

I have bought the pre-cooked sirloin at Costco a couple of times and love it for a quick, protein-rich lunch or dinner.  However, I was feeling a salad the other night and wanted to use the leftover sirloin I still had.  So, I googled "steak and goat cheese salad" and this one won out...and for good reason.  I made enough for Kate and me and she loved it so much that she made it again for lunch the next day!  

INGREDIENTS

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound flank steak or skirt steak (or Costco grass-fed pre-cooked sirloin in the refrigerated section)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 head lettuce greens
• 1 bunch arugula (young leaves), tough stems removed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise and cut into 1-inch long pieces
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (smooth), or 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

1 Cook the steak: (If using un-cooked steak) Heat a couple teaspoons of oil in a cast iron pan on high heat. Pat the steaks dry. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with a little salt. 

Sear the steaks in the pan on both sides, just until nicely browned. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let cook for a few minutes more, until the steak is done to your liking.

You can test with a meat thermometer. Remove steak from pan at 125°F to 130°F for rare, 140°F for medium rare, 150° for medium. 

2 Let the steak rest before cutting, then cut thin slices: Remove from pan to a cutting board. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting. Cut thin slices, on a diagonal so you slice wide pieces, across the grain of the meat.

3 Make the salads: Toss together the lettuce greens, arugula, bell pepper, goat cheese, and scallions. Arrange on individual plates. Sprinkle with avocado. Lay on top several slices of chilled sliced steak. 

4 Make dressing: Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle on salad.

Mom's Famous Freezer Bean and Beef Burritos

 With my kids being home all day every day, we have been going through food at an incredible rate.  Why is everyone so hungry all of the time?!  Add soccer practices right at dinnertime to the mix and I had to come up with a fast and hearty meal that everyone would love.  MKC is always my trusted source for meals that everyone in my house can get on board with and this one was no exception.   I just bought the Cilantro Lime Crema Dressing from Costco and it was so good drizzled on top.  I added some riced cauliflower at the end and it bulked up the burrito mix and added nutrition easily making 40 burritos.  Lastly, I bought these pre-cooked tortillas from Tortilla Familia and they worked great, saved time, and are delicious.

pic courtesy of MKC

Mom's Famous Freezer Bean and Beef Burritos 

Mels Kitchen Cafe

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey/beef (I used 1 pound of each so it made a lot more)
•  1 cup chopped onion
•  1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
•  1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground pepper)
•  3 cans (16 ounces each) refried beans- I used Trader Joe's
•  3 cans (4 ounces) green chiles (mild, medium or hot, depending on preference)
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) green taco sauce or green enchilada sauce 
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) red taco sauce or red enchilada sauce
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) salsa, green or red
•  1 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1 teaspoon chili powder
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Frozen riced cauliflower, optional (adds zero flavor, but bulks it up and doesn't have texture once it heats so you can't see or taste it- I probably put 1 1/2 cups in)
•  6 to 7 cups shredded cheese (I prefer using a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
•  20 10-inch tortillas or 30 8-inch tortillas (I used these and they're delicious)
• 
  

1. In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef and onion with the salt and pepper until cooked through, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cheese and tortillas) and mix to combine. Heat through, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
3. Let the mixture cool slightly. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling on each tortilla (depending on the size of the tortilla and how stuffed you want them). Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese (or so!) on the filling. Fold in the sides and then roll the burrito closed (see pictures in the post for a visual).
4. I roll all the burritos and place them on a large sheet pan. After they are all rolled, I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then put them in gallon size ziploc bags and freeze.
5. To reheat, unwrap burrito from plastic wrap and microwave for one minute. Poke holes in the semi-thawed burrito with a fork or cut the burrito in half and microwave for 1-minute intervals until heated through. They'll be piping hot! Eat carefully. 🙂

Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)

courtesy

This was just so different and so delicious.  I'm so happy I tried it!  It was hearty, healthy and so fun!  I used our air fryer to make the "french fries" which saves a ton of time.  Can't wait to make this again.  Skinnytaste has a TON of great recipes if you are ever in a rut.  They're all rated by tons of cooks, so you can tell when you've got a good one and when you go to print, you can adjust how many serving sizes you want and it auto-updates in the recipe.

Lomo Saltado

Skinnytaste

For the Baked Fries: (I made these in the air fryer and saved TONS of time)

• canola cooking spray
• 1 medium, 5.3 oz potato, russet or yukon gold, washed and dried
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Beef:

• 1/2 lb lean sirloin, cut into small, thin strips
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, sliced into thick strips
• 2 mini yellow bell peppers or 1 large
• 1 large jalapeno, ribbed and seeded, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium tomato, sliced into wedges
• 1 1/2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, use tamari for gluten free and coconut aminos for whole30
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Cut the potato lengthwise into 1/3-inch thick slices; cut each slice into 1/3-inch fries. Place on the baking sheet and toss with oil to evenly coat. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place on a single layer onto the greased baking sheet.
• Bake uncovered on the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes or until tender crisp and golden.
• Meanwhile, season meat with salt, pepper and cumin.
• Heat a large wok over high heat. When hot add the oil and the steak, cook about 2 minutes, until browned on both sides. Add the onions, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the tomato, soy sauce and vinegar and cook 1 more minute. Season with more salt as needed, remove from heat and finish with cilantro.
• Serve immediately with french fries and divide evenly between 2 plates.

Whole30 Beef Stew

In all truth, I'm not much of a fan of beef stew...it just has never done it for me.  But, this one was delicious and also one of those that gets even better with time- meaning I ate it 3 days after it sat in the fridge and it was amazing.  Note- it bakes for 1.5 hours in the oven so prepare in advance!

Whole30 Beef Stew

Primal Gourmet

• 2 lbs stewing beef - cut into 1" cubes chuck, shoulder, bottom round, or rump all work here
• 2 med-sized onions - quartered
• 4 celery stalks - chopped into 1" pieces
• 3 carrots - chopped on a bias into 1" pieces
• 2 parsnips - cubed (optional- I didn't use b/c I don't like them)
• 227 gr button mushrooms - quartered
• 7 cloves garlic - smashed
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary - finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves fresh or dried
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 L chicken or beef stock
• 8-10 baby white potatoes - quartered
• salt and pepper
• avocado oil
• fresh parsley - for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Pat meat very dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt.
3. Add 1 tbsp avocado oil to a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over high heat. Add beef to pot and brown in batches so as to not overcrowd the pot. Transfer browned beef to a bowl. **Note: if you’re beef does not brown it is because a) you did not dry the meat b) the pot is not hot enough c) you overcrowded the pot and are causing the beef to steam d) all of the above.
4. If required, add an additional 1 tbsp avocado oil to the pot. Add onion, celery, carrot and parsnips. Season with a small pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook an additional 60 seconds.
6. Add paprika and smoked paprika and cook an additional 45-60 seconds. Return browned beef to pot along with stock, potatoes and bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil, season with black pepper, cover with lid and transfer to 350F oven for 1.5 hours.
7. Remove from oven, taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. If the meat is still tough, return to oven for an additional 30 minutes, then check again.
8. Serve and garnish with fresh parsley.

Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

courtesy

This was another true favorite on Whole30.  The chicken had a delicious flavor, but what really sealed the deal was this avocado jalapeno sauce....amazing.  I could have put it on all of the things!  I served over diced and roasted sweet potatoes and the kids ate it rolled up in a tortilla.

Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

40 Aprons

SWEET POTATOES

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, diced
• olive oil, salt and pepper

CHICKEN

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 10-oz. can tomatoes with green chiles, undrained, any variety
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/46653/taco-seasoning-i/

AVOCADO-JALAPEÑO SAUCE

• 1 avocado, peeled and seeded
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cook your sweet potatoes: Placed diced potatoes on cookie sheet tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for 15-20 minutes on 425.
2. Make your shredded chicken: combine chicken breasts, taco seasoning, and can of tomatoes with green chiles (undrained) in the pot of an Instant Pot. Do not add water. Secure lid and cook on Manual, high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick release pressure and remove chicken breasts from the pot. Shred with two forks then return to pot. Stir on Sauté mode a few minutes until sauce is absorbed. 
3. Meanwhile, make your sauce: combine all avocado-jalapeño sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. 
4. Serve chicken on top of sweet potatoes and dress with sauce and guacamole.