Colorful Chicken: Braised Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes

 

I try and work in fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins into our daily diet.  Sometimes I'm more successful than others.  Some days are heavier on veggies and lighter on fruit.  Other days we do more fruit than almost anything else.  I gave up long ago on trying to include all four in every meal, vegetables rarely make an appearance in our breakfasts.

This meal is fantastic in that it includes fruit (tomatoes), vegetable (spinach), grain (cornmeal) and protein (chicken).  Not only that, but it is also one of our more colorful dinner selections.  With red, yellow, green, and brown all making an appearance.  It's a rainbow of colors, a variety of food types, and a symphony of flavors in your mouth. 

I especially love the polenta, with it's cheesy goodness.  We do polenta quite a bit, and like almost every grain (grits, I'm looking at you) cheese makes it that much better.

 

 Braised Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced and divided

3 cups water

3/4 cup polenta

1/3 cup shredded gruyere cheese 

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups chopped tomato

1 bunch of spinach

1 cup chicken broth

 

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in saucepan.  Add 1/2 the garlic and cook just into fragrant.  
2. Add the water and bring to a boil.  
3. Whisk in the polenta and continue until thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. 
4. Whisk in the cheese.
5. In a separate pan, heat the remaining olive oil.  Pound chicken flat and season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook chicken until browned on both sides.
7. Add onion and remaining garlic and cook until onion is translucent. 
8. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
10. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook 5-10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
11. Serve chicken over polenta.