Tuscan-Style Chicken

***This was truly a beautiful dish when it was plated...so, if you're looking to impress someone with colors and presentation, this might be the one. It's also REALLY delish! The tomatoes and baby spinach added a fresh flavor, and the mozarella cheese made it savory. The tomatoes soaked in the flavor from the white wine, and were so good....we cleaned our plates! I served this chicken with the Italian Sauteed Beans below. These two things together were great - they both had a wonderful Italian flavor, without being a pasta dish.

I did prepare this dish a little differently from the recipe. Instead of cooking the chicken in the pan, I baked it in the oven. I simply drizzled the chicken with EVOO, seasoned it with Italian Seasoning, and baked it until it was cooked through. I prepared the tomato - spinach mixture in a pan, just as the recipe calls for. I then added the chicken back to the pan at the end and placed the mozarella on top to let it melt. I just felt that this way was a little healthier.***

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless chicken cutlets

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

1 bag fresh baby spinach leaves (5–6 oz)

1 cup fresh pre-sliced mushrooms (rinsed)...I left the mushrooms out

1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes (undrained)

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

Steps:

Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper (wash hands).

Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Arrange chicken in pan (wash hands); cook 3–4 minutes on one side or until lightly browned.

Turn chicken and add remaining ingredients to pan (except cheese). Cover and cook 4–5 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness. Meanwhile, slice mozzarella thinly.

Remove pan from heat. Top chicken with cheese slices; cover and let stand 2–3 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve.

Source: Publix Apron's Simple Meals - http://www.publix.com/

Italian Sauteed Beans

Ingredients:

1/2 cup roasted red peppers
5 fresh garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 fresh basil leaves (rinsed)

Steps

Cut peppers into 1/4-inch slices. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Chop garlic coarsely.

Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic, peppers, and remaining ingredients (except basil); cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beans are thoroughly heated. While beans cook, stack basil leaves and roll tightly; slice thinly into fine ribbons.

Stir in basil; cook 1–2 more minutes or until fragrant. Serve. (Makes 6 servings.)

Source: Publix Apron's Simple Meals - http://www.publix.com/

Chicken Saltimbocca Done Right

Cooks Illustrated: "Chicken Saltimbocca Done Right"

From the mag:

"Buy cutlets that are approximately 5 to 6 inches long. If the tip is too thin, trim back 1 to 2 inches to make the cutlet of uniform thickness. If cutlets are unavailable, you can make your own with four (8-ounce) boneless, skinless breasts. Although whole sage leaves make a beautiful presentation, they are optional and can be left out of step 3. Make sure to buy prosciutto that is thinly sliced, not shaved; also avoid slices that are too thick, as they won’t stick to the chicken."

Ingredients:

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Ground black pepper

8 thin boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 2 pounds), trimmed of ragged edges as necessary

1 TBSP minced fresh sage leaves

8 large whole leaves (optional)

8 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into 5- to 6-inch-long pieces to match cutlets (about 3 ounces)

4 TBSP olive oil

1 ¾ cups dry vermouth or white wine

2 tsp lemon juice

4 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

1 TBSP minced fresh parsley leaves

Table salt

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Place flour in shallow dish.

Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Pepper the chicken breasts, then dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Lay cutlets flat and sprinkle evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere; set aside.

Heat 2 TBSP oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to shimmer. Add sage leaves (if using) and cook until leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds. Using slotted spoon, remove sage to paper towel-lined plate; reserve. Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto side down, and cook until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack set on rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 2 TBSP oil and cutlets, then transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.

Pour off excess fat from skillet. Stir in vermouth, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced to about ⅓ cup, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 TBSP at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets before serving.

Source: Cooks Illustrated magazine - April 2008 issue - http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

Emeril's Shredded Chicken Nachos

***Wow...these nachos were awesome! I don't watch Emeril on a regular basis, but I caught this as he was making it. I had to change the recipe a good bit, because I didn't have all the needed ingredients on-hand (and I didn't want to wait until I did...hah!). However, you can find the original recipe HERE. I also had no idea that tortilla chips were so easy to make at home. They were delicious.***

With cheese sauce added:

For the Chicken Mixture:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast diced into 3-inch strips
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning

Directions:
Set a wide-mouthed 3-quart saucepan with lid over medium-high heat and add the oil to the pan. Season the chicken pieces with salt & pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and sear for 3 minutes per side. Add the onions to the pan and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes (with juices) and taco seasoning, stir well.

Pour the chicken stock over the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low heat and cover. Continue to cook the chicken until very tender (30 min. - 1 hour), stir the chicken to shred it and continue to cook, covered, for another 30 minutes. Set aside as you prepare the nachos.

For the Nachos:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pkg corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Dried parsley, to taste
3/4 cup sour cream, for garnishing (I left this off)
1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos, for garnishing (I left these off also)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnishing

Tortilla Chips:
To make the tortilla chips, heat a saucepan of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cut each corn tortilla into 4 wedges. Place wedges in hot oil and cook until desired crispness. Remove chips from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Season with salt.

Homemade tortilla chips....YUM!

Cheese Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow the flour to color. While whisking constantly, add the milk in a steady stream.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add the cheddar and monterey cheeses, salt, parsley and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Cover and remove from the heat.

To Finish:
Place tortilla chips on a large platter. Cover chips with chicken mixture, and top the chicken with the cheesy sauce. Garnish with the sour cream, pickled jalapenos and cilantro.

Source: Emeril Live - http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Oven Roasted Balsamic Chicken

***Here's yet another simple and quick recipe. I added some dried rosemary and a sprinkling of sesame seeds to jazz it up a little bit.***

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle E.V.O.O. all over top of chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Arrange in an oven-safe baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Brush mixture all over chicken. Sprinkle top of chicken with sesame seeds.

Bake for approximately 40 - 45 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through.

Source: Robin Miller - http://www.foodnetwork.com/