Sicilian Chicken

I love flavor. Okay, I'm sure most people love flavor. Maybe I love flavor from unexpected places like this recipe. This dish doesn't have many ingredients but it packs a pretty powerful flavor punch. I actually didn't really know what to expect from it, but I was not at all disappointed. It's kind of spicy from the crushed red pepper, with a bit of an acidic bite from the olives and capers. I added lots of garlic which gave a really pleasant flavor, too. This dish brought me to Italy... kinda. What's your favorite Italian dish?  

I like using canned tomatoes with seasonings already in them because it can contribute so much extra flavor to the dish. I would recommend it for this dish; but if you happen to only have plain, you can totally add in some extra seasonings of your own. Sprinkle in a little basil, oregano, or thyme for flavor.

The veggie mixture before tossing it into the pot. I love spinach so I upped the amount to an entire bad of frozen spinach instead of 1-1/2 cups. If you're not that crazy about spinach, you can definitely back it down a bit. I'd love to try it with fresh spinach next time.

This whole meal was really easy and only required 1 bowl and 1 pot. Virtually no clean up!!!

 

The chicken was super juicy and flavorful... Yum!

 

Sicilian Chicken (adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

Serves 2 (hungry folks) - 3

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil or other Italian-style seasoning
• 1 16 oz. bag of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1/3 cup green olives (I used manzanilla with the pimentos inside)
• 1 heaping tablespoon of capers
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, to taste
• 2 gloved of garlic, minced (or if you're like me, 4 cloves of garlic)
• 1/2 lb. of chicken, thinly filleted (You could try cutting into strips if you'd like)
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, spinach, olives, capers, red pepper, and garlic. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle chicken with pepper.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and cook chicken until browned on one side, 3-5 minutes.
4. Flip chicken and top with the tomato mixture. Reduce the heat to about medium. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Serve hot over your favorite pasta or grain (orzo works well, especially to soak up all the juices) or with a tasty veggie. Refrigerate leftovers for up to one week.