Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts w/ Spicy Peas & Mushrooms

Happy 4th of July everybody! 

We've been enjoying our 3-day weekend by being lazy and relaxing!  I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow - but gotta pay those bills, right?

We'll be heading over to my parent's house today for some eats and apparently a Mario Party party - my sisters are addicted (and maybe we can be entertained by watching my mother try to play too, hehe!). 

Anyway, I made this dinner a couple weeks ago after our CSA included these amazing peas.  They're just beautiful, aren't they?  Enjoy your Monday guys!

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach 
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/2 inch thickness
salt and pepper, to taste
3 thai chiles, chopped
8 oz. package of sliced Portobello mushrooms
1 to 1 & 1/2 cups shelled peas
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and add about a tablespoon or two of water.  Place in microwave for about 2-3 minutes, or until wilted.  Let cool slightly.

Stir in sour cream, parmesan cheese, and about half of the minced garlic.

Lay the chicken breasts flat and spoon about half of the spinach mixture on top of each.  Either roll the chicken breasts or just fold up and tie with kitchen string to seal.  Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish (seam side-down) and top with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until chicken is white throughout and Parmesan on top is golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet under medium high heat and melt butter.  Add remaining minced garlic and thai chiles and saute for about a minute or so.  Add mushrooms and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until mushrooms start to "sweat".  Add in peas and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chicken breasts atop a big heaping of the mushroom and pea mixture.

This was definitely one of those weeknight meals that you say "wow" to.  The chicken was juicy and the mushroom & pea mixture complimented it perfectly with just the right amount of spicy kick!  If you're struggling to find a good weeknight meal that fresh, seasonal, and tasty - look no further! 

Happy 4th guys!

Lemon-Shallot Chicken Breasts

So I have to give credit where credit is due.  Andy made this.  And it was excellent.  I'm not saying that Andy is challenged in the culinary department (he makes "man" meals).  He's actually pretty good.  But our styles are very different sometimes.

We have this system.  A system where we trade off weeks to cook.  Whoever's week it is to cook, also pays for the groceries.  A simple system, that results in good food all around. 

This is my week to cook.  But unfortunately, I've had some late shifts this week.  Well. Two.  If you count today, so really not that bad.  But it makes it difficult to sit down and cook a meal when I don't get home until 10 or 11.  So that's where Andy comes into play.  I set him down the night's recipe and he must follow it.  Of course, I'm frantically calling him to make sure he's doing it right - he still thinks margarine = butter.  So, I have all the right in the world to keep calling him, in my opinion.  Hehe.  It's all out of love, trust me.

And he was definitely good at following the directions on this one.  The chicken came out moist and delicious.  I almost feared using chicken breasts because I hate how dry they come out most of the time, but this was different.  Maybe I couldn't have cooked it better myself (but we won't let Andy know that for fear his ego will get larger than it already is).  Anyway, this is a must try!

Ingredients:
Adapted from Ina Garten's 'How Easy Is That'

2 chicken breasts
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 up Madeira wine
juice from 1 lemon
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat your oven to 425 F.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a large cast iron skillet (I'm jealous because Andy was the first to use our newly acquired cast iron that I received for Christmas) under medium high heat.  Add oil and heat until shimmering. 

Place chicken breasts, skin side down, into skillet and cook for about 5-6 minutes (if you use boneless chicken breasts, decrease the cooking time by a minute or two), or until skin is golden brown.

Flip breasts over and bake in over for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is roasting, heat a small saute pan under medium high heat.  Add madeira wine, lemon juice, and shallots.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until only a couple tablespoons of liquid remain.  Stir in heavy cream.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.

Stir in butter until it is fully melted.  You want to do this slowly so the sauce does not "break".  Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Plate the chicken and top with lemon-shallot sauce. 

Andy also served this with some homemade mac and cheese (he really does make some good mac!) and a homemade dinner roll. 

This was definitely delicious and quick for a weeknight meal, that's for sure!  Enjoy guys!