Happy Monday, everyone, I hope you had a nice weekend! We got pounded with more snow and negative degree highs…good thing wine warms the soul!
That’s right – while nasty weather forced us indoors nearly the entire weekend, I was able to sneak out on Friday night for wine and girl time at the new Pinot’s Palette that opened up in town. OMG IT WAS SO FUN!
Here’s the scoop – you bring the booze and snacks, they provide the paint, instruction, music, and fun. My girlfriend and I had a BLAST and agreed it would be awesome to go back for a double date or bachelorette party. My fancy wine bottle and champagne glass (which was supposed to be a wine glass, uhhh…) painting was perfect to hang in our master bathroom with the fancy chandelier the previous owners left behind – whee!
This weekend we also had Lincoln’s 6 month pictures taken (which actually took place on the day he turned 7 months – whoops!) Our sweet photographer braved the cold to come out to the house only to face our stone-cold baby. He cracked maybe 5 smiles the whole hour and a half shoot. Little stinker! ;) Can’t wait to see how they turn out though, his baby jeans and plaid button down just kill me!
After the grueling shoot, I made the men some sustenance…Man-Pleasing Chicken.
A few weeks ago I featured Witty in the City’s Man-Pleasing Chicken on Friday Favorites. I LOVED the concept – a simple chicken dish that her man could not get enough of. It inspired me to share one of Ben’s favorite chicken dishes of all time that’s not only man-approved, but goes from fridge to fork in just 30 minutes. That makes it IGE-approved, too. :)
Sauteed chicken breasts are smothered in a mouthwatering mixture of sauteed spinach, mushrooms, cream and parmesan cheese in this tasty, one-skillet supper. It’s then topped with bacon, of course, as you’d expect any man-pleasing chicken dish to be.
Man-Pleasing chicken is actually a recipe I made for a freelance project a few years ago under the name Ultimate Smothered Chicken. No matter what you call it, your man (or WOman) will go bonkers for this dish. Ben tasted it once and has asked for it again and again, which is unusual as he usually loathes repeat meals. This has made weekly spaghetti night, which I have been trying to make a “thing” for the past 5 years, rather difficult.
Anyway, this dish cooks in about 10 minutes but I tacked on an extra 20 for prep work. You know, chopping shallots and bacon, slicing mushrooms, and grating parmesan cheese. After the initial grunt work though, it’s smooth sailing. This chicken is tasty paired with roasted asparagus, or make it even heartier by serving over pasta or man-friendly mashed potatoes!
Start by browning 3 slices chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain then remove all but 1 teaspoon bacon grease from the skillet.
Turn the heat up to medium-high then season both sides of 4 chicken breasts that have been pounded thin with salt and pepper, and then saute for 3-4 minutes a side, or until no longer pink. You could use 4 regular-sized chicken breasts or do what I did and cut 2 breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets. This is a great way to make chicken go farther! Remove the chicken to a plate then tent with foil to keep warm.
Next melt 1 Tablespoon butter in the skillet then add 1 chopped shallot and 8oz sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the mushrooms turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Next, pile on the spinach! 4 cups baby spinach, to be exact, which will wilt in about 1 minute.
Finally, add 1/2 cup half & half (you could use heavy cream, but don’t use milk) and let it bubble and thicken for about 1 minute. Finish by tossing in 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese then stir until combined.
I prefer fresh grated parm by the way, if you can swing it!
Plate the chicken then spoon the luscious spinach-mushroom-cream sauce over top and finish with a sprinkling of crisp bacon, and a crack of black pepper. Like I said – Man-Pleasing Chicken! Enjoy!
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Man-Pleasing Chicken
Description
Man-Pleasing Chicken is one of my husband's favorite chicken recipes. From fridge to fork in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 8oz mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat then add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain then pour out all but 1 teaspoon bacon grease and turn heat up to medium-high.
- Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper then add to skillet and saute until no longer pink, 3-4 minutes a side. Remove to a plate then tent with foil to keep warm.
- Melt butter in skillet then add shallots and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until mushrooms are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add spinach then saute until just barely wilted, 1 minute. Add half & half then cook until sauce is thickened, 1 minute, then stir in parmesan cheese. Plate chicken then pour sauce on top and sprinkle with cooked bacon. Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This recipe was fantastic! It’s a pretty heavy dish but it is definitely a crowd please! The only change I made was using regular not baby spinach, just because that’s what I had. I served it with some polenta rounds–I had one of those tubes of polenta in the pantry that was nearing the end of it’s life. I sliced it up and fried it in a bit of the bacon grease, and spooned the chicken and sauce over it. With some roasted broccoli it was SO GOOD. My one suggestion for others is that it took quite a bit longer to make. Maybe my chicken was thicker, but I had to sauté it much longer than stated, and my mushrooms also took a while to soften. Still, I look forward to making this again for a special treat!
That sounds heavenly!! I need to us polenta rounds more often!!
Thank you so much for this great tasting, easy meal for my first home cooked meal for a special someone in my new home! I think I won his heart as well as his tummy!