“The Melina”
(One-pan Chicken and Cauliflower Rice with Peas, Mushrooms, and Shallot)
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Serves: 6
We all have those friends that are just awesome – the ones you truly want to celebrate and honor. There are friends that you want to share life with and friends that are inseparable.
Some people with crafty skills can make beautiful “Thinking About You” cards. Musicians can make melodies that represent the emotions of appreciation and affection. Gift cards can make anybody’s day. I cook. (FYI… Did you know that there’s an International Friendship Day? July 30 – mark your calendar for next year if you missed it).
My friend Melina is dear to my heart. I look up to her. I think what I admire most is her love for God. She’s got a servant’s heart. She’s a great mom and wife. She’s certainly someone you can model your life after.
Melina helped familiarize me with Weight Watchers, so this recipe had to be filled with WW-worthy points. I chose ingredients she liked, of course. At this time of making this recipe, I hadn’t told her my scheme of making a recipe with her name. I was thrilled when she tasted this dish and said, “I need that recipe STAT!”
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts with veggies and simple spices make this an easy and quick dinner. The addition of an acid, white wine vinegar here, adds just a little pop in your mouth. Be sure to use excellent chicken stock, too. It really makes a difference. Check out my recipe for Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock.
You can certainly use a fresh head of cauliflower and rice it yourself by hand with a grater or in a food processor. It will cook quickly, which is really nice.
If you’re not big into mushrooms or peas, feel free to substitute other quick-cooking veggies like diced zucchini or squash.
Halving the chicken breasts is handy for several reasons… it makes the chicken cook a lot quicker, and it stretches the portions. We love leftovers at our house – mainly my kids do, not so many dishes to wash!
Onion powder and garlic powder go hand-in-hand, like cinnamon and nutmeg. You are certainly welcome to change up the spices. Try an herbs de province (minus the lavender), or even Cajun seasoning! This meal is quite versatile when it comes to seasoning and vegetables, still keeping it a healthy meal. The vinegar at the end just gives a little “pop.” If you don’t like vinegar, try a little soy sauce. It’ll add a little more saltiness to the dish, but it still will that little extra mmmm.
Enjoy!
"The Melina" (One-pan Chicken and Cauliflower Rice with Peas, Mushrooms, and Shallot)
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved down the middle to make 6 thin chicken breasts
- 1 cup mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
- 16 ounces rice cauliflower, thawed from frozen, or fresh
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, optional
Instructions
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders in a small bowl. Season chicken on both sides.
- Heat the oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté the chicken on both sides for about 3 minutes each side (these cook quickly due to the thinness). Remove to a plate and keep warm.
- Add more oil if necessary to the pan. Maintaining the heat, add the mushrooms and shallot, stirring occasionally, until softened and the mushrooms are starting to brown, approximately 7 minutes.
- Add the stock, cauliflower, and peas then stir gently to combine.
- Place the chicken breasts back on top of vegetables and allow to heat through and finish cooking chicken, if necessary, about 5 minutes. If the chicken does need more cook time, nestle them down into the vegetables.
- Add the butter and vinegar and gently stir. Check for seasoning and adjust to taste.
0 Comments