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Tuscan Chicken


Tuscan Chicken || A one skillet protein packed flavorful dish (Toddler Approved) || www.reverycloud.com

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!



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Tuscan Chicken

Prep Time:15-20 min

Cook Time:25 min

Serves:4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed (cut small after cooking for little ones)
  • 8-10 oz Mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 large leaves of Tuscan Kale, rinsed & chopped with stems removed
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  • ½ cup tomato basil spaghetti sauce
    • If not wanting to use canned ingredients or sauces, sub the following for tomatoes listed above:
    • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
    • 2 med. Ripened Tomato, diced
    • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped Basil
  • 2 cups soaked and cooked cannellini beans (or approx. one can drained & rinsed)
  • ½ cup sliced black olives (better to cut lengthwise a few times for little ones)
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Agave or Honey (only use honey with toddlers who’ve been ok’d by a physician and over 2 yrs)
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Thyme

Instructions

  1. Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken through.
    • Spread chicken in an even layer and leave approx. 1-2 minutes until it begins to sear.
    • Flip and cook the chicken through stirring every 30 seconds. Safe internal temperature should be no less than 165 F. (total cook time should be approx. 7-10 minutes) Set chicken aside.
  2. Turn down to medium heat, drizzle olive oil and sautée mushrooms 6-7 min until tender & set aside.
  3. Add additional olive oil and sautée onions 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and chopped kale and sautée one more minute until the kale has wilted.
  4. Add in the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato basil sauce, balsamic and agave stirring for 1 minute until combined. (If using alternative tomatoes use a drizzle of olive oil to keep from burning)
  5. Sprinkle in the oregano and thyme.
  6. Add in the black olives and cannellini beans, stirring 1 minute to combine with sauces & tomatoes.
  7. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the skillet, stirring to combine until heated through.
  8. I like to cover and simmer for 5 minutes to marry the flavors, but it’s not necessary.
  9. I like to serve immediately with a side salad or fresh fruit for the little ones.


I hope you try this flavorful dish and let me know if you made any changes that you really enjoyed!


Jodi