Basalmic Chicken with Wilted Spinach and White Beans

I was all set to make household standby, when I realized I really wasn't looking forward to it. I googled a few ingredients I wanted to use, and stumbled across a recipe that sounded worth trying. Its was submitted to SparkPeople.com, originally a Rachel Ray Express Lane Meal.

I cut the recipe mostly in half, while still using all of the beans and extra spinach. Since I wanted a slightly thicker sauce, I mixed a little of the liquid with cornstarch, but that could easily be left out, or the broth and wine amounts could be reduced. The only thing I wish I'd done differently was pound out the chicken. I had really thick pieces, and they cooked unevenly and took so much longer than the recipe advised, that the basalmic marinade really blackened the bottom of the pan. However, the chicken was the best part! The spinach and beans were very good, but the tender basalmic chicken was sensational!

adapted from Spark Recipes (originally a Rachel Ray Express Lane Meal)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 chicken breasts (I recommend pounding thin)

1 medium onions, sliced thinly

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

sea salt & fresh ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 can organic cannellini white beans, drained

1 tsp cornstarch (optional)

1 9 oz. bag baby spinach leaves

1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp)

1. In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic vinegar, 1 T of the oil and the grill seasoning. Coat the chicken breasts in the mixture and set aside to marinate while you start the white beans and wilted spinach.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining oil. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Add the white wine and chicken broth, bring up to a bubble, and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Heat another large skillet over medium-high heat. (I did this while waiting for the broth and wine to come to a boil.) When it is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or untill no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken ot a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest a few minutes.

4. Add the cannellini beans to the skillet with the onions and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the beans are heated through. (This is where I added the cornstach to about a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and added to the pan, allowing to return to a boil to thicken slightly.) Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the spinach, parsley, and lemon juice. Toss and stir until the spinach wilts.

5. To serve, place a portion of the white beans and wilted spinach on each serving plate. Thickly slice each chicken breast on an angle and arrange over the beans and spinach.