Some evenings, after a busy day, dinner becomes just another chore. As exhaustion hits and thoughts about the next day’s to-do list creep up, we search for something familiar to pull us through–routine, reliability, simplicity. That’s perfectly fine, until you’re eating the same spaghetti and jarred pasta sauce four nights a week and forget that anything else can be produced from your kitchen.
It’s easy to bore yourself with food but not even realize it until you step out of your comfort zone. Try something new. Experiment. Use bold flavors. Once you do, food becomes exciting, and healthy cooking becomes easier and more fun–an activity instead of a chore. And all it takes is a little spark of inspiration. Poof! (That was my invisible wand of foodie inspiration striking you. Did you feel it? Humor me.) 😉
This dish sprouted from a creative sensation. Rather than churning out a household regular, I decided to unleash the culinary artist within and combine some of by favorite Mediterranean flavors to create a beautiful, wholesome, and ultra-tasty chicken dinner. With my all-time favorite roasted potatoes and pan-seared asparagus, this meal is definitely a winner!
Ok, I’ll admit, the potatoes are a go-to side dish for me, but for good reason. They are crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, perfect with almost any meat and vegetable, quick, easy, and healthy. And if you try them this way, it will be something different for you. So I feel justified in keeping this unbelievably delicious staple in my meal plan. And I think you’ll thank me for it.
Sun-Dried Tomato Balsamic Feta Chicken
Serves 2
For the chicken:
- 2 chicken breast halves (4-5 oz each)
- salt/black pepper to taste
- dried herbs de provence
- 1 tsp EVOO
- 1-2 Tbsp dry white wine
- small handful thinly sliced yellow onion
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 10 g (small handful) thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 2-4 Tbsp crumbled feta
- 1 tsp capers, drained and halved if large
Combine lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, and honey in a small bowl and set aside. Wash chicken; pat dry with a paper towel. Place the breasts between two sheets of wax or parchment paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound to even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence. Heat EVOO in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook several minutes on each side until done. (It should look somewhat firm and slightly resist pressure.) Transfer to plates.
Add 1 Tbsp wine and onion to the hot skillet, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in garlic. Reduce heat to low, and cook a couple minutes, until onion is tender. (If pan dries out, add another Tbsp of wine.) Stir in lemon/balsamic/Dijon/honey mixture and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook about 1 minute longer, then remove from heat. Top each breast with half of the sauce, 1-2 Tbsp crumbled feta, and 1/2 tsp capers (or more if you want).
For the potatoes:
- 300 g (2 servings) golden baby potatoes
- 1 tsp EVOO (I use tuscan herb-infused)
- 1/16 tsp salt (or more if you like yours really salty)
- black pepper to taste
- generous sprinkle dried herbs de provence
Preheat oven to 425º. Wash and dry potatoes. Slice in half lengthwise, then across into halves or thirds, creating small chunks. Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan, and fill bottom of pan with water (not quite up to the bottom of the steamer). Bring water to a boil, add potatoes, cover, and steam 10 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add EVOO, salt, pepper, and herbs de provence. Toss to coat, adding more herbs de provence if needed (until they look well-seasoned). Spread onto a baking tray covered with aluminum foil (nonstick or coated with a little EVOO). Transfer to oven and bake about 20 minutes, until browned. Enjoy with pork, fish, beef, or {of course} this chicken dish!
Choose your favorite green veggie to go along with this meal. I pan-seared some asparagus with a little EVOO, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. You could also roast the asparagus about 7 minutes, until crisp-tender. And, if you’re like me, toast up some delicious whole grain rolls for the side. (I love Alexia whole grain or ciabatta.)
