Each year in May I head to the local greenhouse and fill a cart with colorful flowers and delicious herbs to grow on my front porch throughout the summer. I love using them in homemade lotions, tinctures, infused oils and tasty dishes. Come winter, I often take the heartiest herbs indoors to see how they fair in the kitchen windowsill. The smells have been making me crave hearty dishes with complementary vibrant herbs.
Last year I didn't explore cooking too much because the girls were so small and kept me quite busy. This year, I'm hoping to plant a few new herb varieties to inspire more cooking ideas. I'm especailly excited about using basil in fresh pestos and italian dishes. I just can't get enough of the subtle licorice scent and sweet bold flavor it adds to roasted tomatoes. It also provides a wonderful learning opportunity for curious toddlers. They can help plant herbs, water them, pick some for their food and expand their palettes.
This one-skillet Tuscan Chicken recipe is a flavorful mix of traditional Tuscan herbs, vegetables and greens. It blends into a wonderful balance of earthy and bold with tangy and sweet. It's rich with protein and will fill you up with even a small helping. It was fun watching the girls eat this for the first time, picking each ingredient apart to try and then gobbling it all up. As always, if there are ever concerns of possible food allergies, please consult your child’s pediatrician prior to introducing new foods.
Just as in Tuscany, it's great to use fresh local produce to inspire the flavors of your dishes. If you're trying to decide what to pair with this meal, get inpsired by your local seasonal farmer's market or by these wonderful seasonal Tuscan produce calendars.
The following recipe is gluten and dairy free. I'm currently working on a vegan version and will be testing out tempeh and tofu variations for this, so stay tuned. Don't forget to bookmark this recipe for later in the summer when those tomatoes in your garden are getting especially ready for the kitchen!
Tuscan Chicken
Prep Time:15-20 min
Cook Time:25 min
Serves:4 to 6
Ingredients
Instructions
I hope you try this flavorful dish and let me know if you made any changes that you really enjoyed!
Jodi