Chicken is boring.
Well, that’s what I used to think before I started cooking on my own.
When you think about it, chicken always has to be prepared with something else. Who eats plain, unsalted, cooked chicken breast for pleasure? No one. You have to dip it in ketchup, fry it, roast it with herbs – something to pump in the flavor. All you need to do is put salt and pepper on your chicken, using it as a centerpiece, with tasty ingredients complementing it.
I decided to sauté my chicken and pair it with vegetables and an apricot pan sauce. Most of the time when I think of apricot spread, I think of breakfast and desserts. However, I found that it is possible to incorporate sweetness into a savory dish. I also wanted something slightly tangy in my dish. Later, I sautéed my spinach and mushroom because they are two of my favorite things to eat. The mushrooms and their juice especially provide an earthy flavor. Apparently mushroom juice can be sold by the bottle, but I never tried it, and I don’t think I will – ever – but the juice works well in moderation for this particular dish.
INGREDIENTS: Serving 1 (but you can adapt to suit your needs)
1 skinless chicken breast
Olive oil
1/3 cup of dry white wine
Salt and pepper (for taste)
1 1/2 cup of baby spinach
1 1/2 cup of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup of chopped red onion
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp of apricot spread
DIRECTIONS:
Preparation:
Vegetables: Wash your spinach and let it dry. Slice your mushroom. Chop your red onion.
Chicken: Salt and pepper. Score the top of the chicken breast (My mom always did it, but I think this technique just lets the juice seep into the chicken and enhance the overall flavor)
Cooking:
In a medium-sized pan, heat olive oil and add your red onion. Cook until transparent and then add the mushroom. Wait for two minutes and then add the spinach. When the vegetables have all softened, remove the pan from heat.
In another similarly sized pan, heat olive oil and start cooking the chicken breast. Let each side brown for four to five minutes. Once that’s done, place the chicken breast aside and cover with tinfoil. This will keep in all the flavor.
Using the same pan, pour in your white wine. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. You’re now making your sauce.
Return the chicken to the pan and add the vegetables. Add the chicken broth and let everything cook for about three minutes.
Finally, stir in the apricot spread and let it melt into the sauce.
If you want a more filling dish, add white or brown rice to the dish.
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