Green bean & Chicken Skillet

I had to apologize to my family for not doing much "real cooking" on weeknights lately.  The combination of working and the kids' afternoon/evening sports has made me rely on grilled cheese, soups that I make on the weekend and reheat, salads, rotisserie chicken, tacos - you get the picture.  I made this recently and it was a hit - easy and quick, healthy, bacon . . . need I say more?  I made some rice pilaf (from a box) to go with it.

I liked the flavor with 1/2 cup of Sauvignon blanc, but if you'd prefer to cook without wine (or to drink it instead of cook with it!), substitute that for more broth.  In a lot of grocery stores, you can buy chicken breast cutlets or you could take 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them lengthwise into cutlets yourself.  


Green bean & Chicken Skillet Dinner (4 servings)

from Skinny Taste blog

4 strips center cut bacon, chopped
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
2 T shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine (or you can do all broth)
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz green beans (I like the french green beans, or haricot vert)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until crisp, stirring often.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.  Discard all but a very thin coating of the bacon grease.

Season chicken with salt and pepper (both sides) and saute until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.  I had to do this in two batches.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Add the shallots to the empty skillet and saute for 1 minute.  Add a little olive oil if needed.  Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds more.  Add the broth, wine, thyme and rosemary and scrape up any of the brown bits in the pan.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the green beans.  Bring to a boil and cook until the green beans are tender and the pan sauce has reduced, about 6-8 minutes stirring occasionally.

Transfer chicken and green beans to a serving platter (or plate them individually as entrees) and sprinkle the green beans with salt and pepper.  Pour any chicken juice from the plate back into the pan sauce and stir.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken and green beans and top with bacon.

(3sp/211cal)