Creamy Chicken with Pesto & Spinach

The weather sure has changed in the past few days. There's talk, from those in the know, that we're in for another miserable winter. All the rain and frost brings such trouble into people's lives so it's good to keep in mind neighbours that are more vulnerable to these conditions. My own Dad found last winter particularly bad for his arthritis, as the treacherous conditions hindered him from leaving the house. I must say that this time of the year is normally one of my favourites. I love the beautiful colours in nature that autumn brings and the children just love Halloween. Last weekend we had a few early Halloween treats as I was photographing some Halloween goodies for upcoming newspaper articles and for my Halloween Page. If you are planning a Halloween party this year have a read through the page for a few ideas.

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is one that I had published with Easy Parenting.

A slow cooked casserole or a hearty stew always make for a delicious dinner. However when you arrive home from work and need to feed many hungry mouths in a hurry it's paramount to have a few handy dinner recipes at your disposal. Everyone is tired after their busy day so the last thing you want to do is whip out a cookbook to start the impossible search of a recipe that can be on the table in 20 minutes, using only what you happen to have in the fridge. It's like putting yourself on one of those cookery shows with your children acting as the clock, with their screams getting louder to reminder you that you are running low on time! To avoid these situations I have in the past found it quite useful to have a weekly meal plan, not that I would ever stick strictly to it but I would use it more as a shopping aid. It's always reassuring to have the makings of a few dishes in the press and fridge. Another important time saver is to have your meat prepared by your butcher, so that it is ready for the pot. There are fabulous butchers around the country who are more than willing to oblige and prepare your meat to suit whatever dish you are planning.
This dish is one of those rescue recipes which ticks all the boxes it's nutritious, time saving, it is perfect served with rice, pasta or potatoes and it's also very tasty. I have added some spinach which I find the children don't protest against as it's inoffensive to their palate. Any green veg would work nicely as an additional vegetable in this dish. This meal can be prepared, cooked and on the table within 20 minutes.

Creamy Chicken with Pesto & Spinach

Ingredients
2 chicken breast, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, crushed
150g mushrooms, sliced
150ml white wine
150ml cream

1 tbsp basil pesto

Handful of spinach 

25g of toasted pine nuts

Sea Salt and Freshly ground pepper

olive oil 

To Serve
Boiled Rice/ Steamed Potatoes/ Cooked Pasta 

Method
1. Heat a large frying pan and add a glug of olive oil.
2. Add the diced chicken, season with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes until it is browned.
3. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until they are soft but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for a minute.
4. Add the wine and cream. Let that bubble for five minutes.
5. Stir in the Basil Pesto.
6. Turn down the heat and simmer for ten minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Just a minute before serving stir in the spinach.
7. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts. I generally leave these off the children's portion.
8. Serve with cooked rice, potatoes or pasta.


This article was published in Issue 2 of Easy Parenting.