Balanced Living

Easy One-Pot Meals:  Baked Chicken, Kale, Potatoes & Tomatoes

Posted by Arja on November 4 in Main Dishes

There’s something magical about a meal that only uses one pot.  First of all, clean up is SO MUCH easier, but it’s more than that.  Cooking all of your ingredients in one pot results in a tender, flavourful dish where all of the ingredients hang out together, supporting one another.  Meat (if you’re using it) is infused with the flavours of the vegetables, and the juices mix together creating a rich sauce.  Also, most one-pot meals are pretty hands off, giving you time to go off and do other things.  It’s a win on all fronts.

Stews, soups, and chili are all obvious one-pot meal options, but one of my favourite things to do is cook some chicken breasts with vegetables and a few potatoes.  The chicken breasts stay unbelievably moist, soak up flavour from the vegetable juices, and everything combines to create a lovely sauce to boot.  So darn good.

Using this cooking method uses very little fat and is a great way to braise tougher leafy greens, like kale.  You can easily omit the potato and serve this over a grain, like brown rice or quinoa. 

Baked Chicken Breasts w/Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Potatoes & Kale
Serves 4-6

4 chicken breasts
3 tbsp flour (I like whole spelt, or a gluten free flour)
2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 cooking onion
3 cloves garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 pint small potatoes (approx. 10 golf ball size) – if small potatoes not available, cut larger into pieces
10-15 button mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch lacinato kale (or green curly kale), sliced thinly
1 tsp thyme

Step 1 – Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed oven safe deep-sided pan with lid.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and cook for a few minutes more.
Step 2 – Dredge chicken breasts in flour.  Turn up heat to med-high and add chicken breasts.  Brown on each side for a few minutes.  Once chicken is browned sprinkle with thyme and then add potatoes, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms.
Step 3 – Put pan in oven with the lid on and let it cook for 20 minutes.
Step 4 - Add kale, put lid back on, and return to oven for 15 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
Step 5 – Stir contents to combine and serve.

I love this meal because I can make it easily on a weeknight, but it also feels like a Sunday family dinner.  It’s a tasty and good for you, especially on these cooler nights, and with only one pot used, you won’t mind the clean up.