Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous

Serves 4

Recipe from The Food You Crave by Elle Krieger

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Well, this was a huge hit at our house!  Fluffy couscous topped with garlicky wilted spinach, tender chicken and drizzled with a lovely tomato-balsamic sauce. This comes together quickly so be sure to prep the ingredients in advance before heating up the skillet.  For an especially lovely dinner with friends, serve this with Greek Salad withSeasoned Flatbread. 

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (about 1¼ total) pounded between 2 sheets of waxed paper to ½ inch thickness

¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 Tablespoon)

8 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 8 cups lightly packed)

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned no-salt-added chopped tomatoes with their juices

2 cups hot cooked whole-wheat couscous (from about ¾ cup uncooked)

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken to a serving platter and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons oil to the pan, add the garlic, and cook 1 minute.  Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, and then transfer to the serving platter along side the chicken.  Set aside.

Add the vinegar, broth and tomatoes to the pan and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Divide the couscous between 4 serving plates.  Top with some of the spinach, then a piece of chicken and the balsamic-tomato sauce and serve.

Nutritional Information:  (Serving size is 1 chicken breast, 3 Tablespoons sauce, 1/3 cup spinach and ½ cup couscous) 342 calories; 12 grams fat (8 grams mono; 1 gram poly; 2 grams sat); 32 grams protein; 27 grams carbs; 6 grams fiber; 66 mg cholesterol; 336 mg sodium