Peppercorn Chicken with Lemon Spinach

Peppercorn Chicken with Lemon Spinach

This week's entry is quite amazing. Both in deliciousness and also the fact that the meal occurred at all. We are currently trying to eat healthier, eat at home more, and use up food we have in our freezer and cupboards (since we are moving). So on Tuesday night, a night that we almost always get take-out since I have a night graduate class and Matt has soccer, I finagled this amazing dinner!

Basically, I got home from class and had about a half hour to make dinner. All I knew I was preparing was chicken (since I had taken some out of the freezer to defrost earlier). I started looking on www.foodnetwork.com and found this recipe: Peppercorn Chicken with Lemon Spinach. Even without grocery shopping this week (as I said, trying to use things up) we had all of the ingredients (or close enough)!

The Recipe:

• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard (I used an amazing local mustard "Fire in the Mountains")
• 3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons coarsely ground mixed peppercorns
• 3/4 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced (I used onions)
• 1/3 cup brandy or red wine (I used sherry)
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (I also used some lemon juice)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 1 tablespoon mustard all over the chicken. Sprinkle with the peppercorns, rosemary and salt to taste, patting gently so the seasonings stick.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a baking dish (set aside the skillet for the sauce); bake the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the shallots to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat until just soft. Remove the pan from the heat, add the brandy, then return the pan to the heat and scrape up any browned bits. Add the broth, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons mustard and the parsley.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic; cook about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, season with salt and cook until wilted; add the lemon zest. Slice the chicken and drizzle with the shallot sauce. Serve with the spinach.

The result:
When Matt walked in for dinner he said, "wow, it smells like French Onion Soup!" That is the best way I can describe this meal. It was like french onion soup chicken. It may not look super pretty but it was delicious!