Chicken w/Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce + Omelettes

Inspired - heavily so - by The Pioneer Woman's recipe, this is a wonderful creation that
makes enough sauce to fill omelettes on the next day. Delicious!

4 T. butter

4 T. EVOO

4 cloves garlic, chopped (or equivalent garlic paste in the tube - I used the brand Gourmet Garden chunky garlic stir-in paste)

1 onion, sliced into half-moons - see how to do that here - or chopped

12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, cut in half and sliced into strips (Sclafani is a good brand)

4 whole fresh Roma tomatoes, diced (also called Italian plum or plum tomatoes) (or 1 14.5 oz. can petite-diced tomatoes

10 oz. carton/package fresh baby spinach (no substitute here)

salt & pepper to taste

gratings of fresh nutmeg - amount to your taste

1 1/4 C. heavy/whipping cream

1 C.++ grated parmesan/romano cheese (Locatelli is a great brand)

fresh parsley, chopped - a handful

chicken: either thin-sliced breasts, 2 - 4 whole breasts, pounded, or 6 or so thighs, whatever suits your fancy

rice or pasta, prepared according to package directions

fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add half the butter and EVOO. When melted, add in the garlic, onion and roasted peppers. Cook, stirring for a few minutes, and then add the tomatoes and finally the spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the cream and allow it to thicken and reduce slightly, about 3 - 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 400º (not necessary in you're using thin-sliced chicken breasts). Heat another cast iron (or other ovenproof) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining butter and EVOO and place the chicken (skin side down if your chicken has skin) in the skillet. Cook as you usually if you're using thin-slice breast meat. If you're using whole breasts or thigh, cook for about 4 - 5 minutes, turn over and cook an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and bake till done, about another 10 - 12 minutes (I use a thermometer to check for doneness so I don't overcook it).

Reheat the sauce if needed. To serve, spoon rice/paste on the plate. Spoon sauce on top of that. Place a piece or two of chicken on top of the sauce and the spoon more sauce on top of it all. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil. Delicious!!

This makes a LOT of sauce! So...

To make omelettes: Place 2 - 3 eggs and 2 - 3 T. sauce liquid in a bowl and whip all together. Pour in your omelette pan, lifting the sides of the eggs so the uncooked eggs can run underneath the cooking eggs. Using a slotted spoon to drain the liquid, add some of the spinach/red pepper mix to one side of the eggs. Top with a thin slice of cheese or some grated cheese (cheddar is great). Flip the uncovered eggs over the side with the veggies. Turn off the heat and cover the skillet. Let set for a few minutes. Slide onto a plate and enjoy! (You could also just stir an entire spoonful of sauce into the eggs and scramble it all together - not as pretty but, I'm sure, just as good.)

Originally from The Pioneer Woman (recipe here) and changed some. The original recipe called for 4 oz. cream cheese, which I bought and then forgot to add... Honestly don't think it would have made the sauce any better than it was! 

6/9/18

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YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb