This Week's Festive Fare: "Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach"

  During these lazy - hazy - crazy days of summer, trying to pull the whole gang together for a "Fun Summer Sit Down" can be challenging at best.

It's hard to keep coming up with new ideas that consist of something  light - something that's ensured to wet everyone's appetite, without leaving you slaving in the kitchen for way, WAY too long. Then again, just because it's summer doesn't mean we always want to rally under the sun either. Let's face it, in the midst of the 'dad-gum dogiest' days of summer, it can be way too hot to consider cooking out there.  In fact, sometimes asking someone to "take it to the grill" can be down right abusive. For  example; for those of us living in the Baltimore area, temperatures have been hovering just above the 100 degree mark BEFORE they add the heat index factors. Asking someone here to go out and fire up the old 'barby',  is like asking them to take a long walk off a short pier, (or they may just tell you to go and do that)!!!

This dish  offers a great compromise. SO, don't despair of being in your kitchen, nor throw away your grilling gear: Instead, go ahead and bring it inside with this fast, user friendly, FABULOUS tasting meal. Each serving delivers a huge nutrient dense bang for a 350 lean calorie buck!

So stay in your air conditioned kitchen and cook this baby up!

ENJOY and STAY COOL, 

Candace

Yields: 4 servings                                                                                                                                           Total Time: 18 min

  Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
• 8 ounces baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup low-sodium canned chopped tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups whole wheat couscous, cooked

Directions: 

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside. To the same pan, add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Add the tomatoes bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the coucous in a serving bowl. Top with the spinach, chicken and balsamic-tomato sauce.

Nutrition Facts:

Nutritional Analysis per serving

Calories  353

Total Fat  6 grams

Saturated Fat  9 grams

Protein  4 grams

Carbohydrates  42 grams

Fiber 8 grams

This Recipe: Compliments of Ellie Krieger