How to Make Italian Chicken the Easy Way! (52 New Foods, Week 15) April 16 2012, 5 Comments

Need an easy recipe for busy weeknights? Here’s how to make Italian chicken that's deliciously simple and tasty. Less than 15 minutes to fabulous!

There’s no doubt that Chicken Parmesan will please most crowds, including the crowd at my house. But it’s a bear to make on weeknights and a healthier version without the breadcrumbs and cheese would certainly be a welcome addition to our stable of recipes. Here’s how to make Italian chicken that’s so simple, easy, and tasty it is sure to become a regular on your weeknight menu!

Feature Recipe: Easy Italian Chicken from The Family Chef

My kids love roast chicken (and Chicken Parmesan, of course!) but tend to be hesitant to try chicken any other way. Same goes for lots of other foods. So at our house, I award bonus points for trying a food my kids already like, prepared in a new way. This keeps me out of the recipe rut and makes it fun for my kids to try familiar foods prepared in an unfamiliar way. When Amy The Family Chef showed me how to make Italian chicken, I jumped at the chance to give it a try. Not only is it a new twist on an old favorite, it is a simple recipe my kids can make in less time than it takes to order a pizza! 

How to Make Italian Chicken (the Easy Way!)

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ready in: 20 min

Ingredients:
1 lb organic boneless chicken breast
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1)    Wash and trim the chicken. Cut the breasts in half lengthwise to create thin slices. Dry completely.

2)    In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, thyme and salt.

3)    Sprinkle about ½ of the seasoning mixture onto the chicken (leave the remaining half for when you turn the chicken in the pan).

4)    Heat a pan to medium high heat. Once heated, add olive oil, then the chicken, seasoning side down. Do not move the chicken in the pan.

5)    Add the remaining seasoning mix to the chicken.

6)    Once the chicken is browned and turning white on the sides, flip and cook the other side. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is firm when you press it, and nicely browned.

7)    Remove the chicken and set aside.

8)    Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of white wine. Be sure to scrape up all of the tasty bits.

9)    Add mushrooms to the wine mixture; simmer lightly for about 3 minutes.

10)  Add butter to the sauce. Mix to melt completely.

Serve the chicken with a side of fettuccine and garden fresh broccoli. Drizzle the mushroom sauce over the chicken and pasta. Enjoy!

Crunch a Color Kids Vote: Fast and fabulous!

What we liked: This delicious recipe can be made start to finish in less than 15 minutes. A weeknight winner! Pair it with my easy, homemade tomato sauce and a dash of Parmesan cheese, and you’ve got a healthier (and easier) version of Chicken Parmesan. My favorite tip from Amy: “Put the chicken in the pan and step away from the stove! Let the pan do the work.” Brilliant! Gives me enough time to clean the dishes before serving up a fast and fabulous supper.

What is your favorite weeknight recipe? Dish it up!

Next up: Healthy Caesar Salad

Our Italian dinner party wouldn’t be complete without Caesar salad! Tune in next week when we toss up a fantastic recipe for Healthy Caesar Salad.

Craving more new recipes to try? Catch up on last week’s recipe: Easy, homemade tomato sauce.

About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color™ -- the award-winning game that makes healthy eating fun. Like most parents, she struggled to get her kids to eat healthy, balanced meals, so she decided to make it into a healthy eating game and she’s giving back to support non-profit children’s nutrition programs including Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and FoodCorps. Watch her picky eaters tell the story of how they turned into healthy eaters playing the game. Follow @crunchacolor on Facebook and Twitter to tune into Crunch a Color's healthy eating adventure and Jennifer’s tips and kid-friendly, easy recipes.