chickenNow that 2014 is a few weeks in, we’re excited to welcome it with new menus at Never Enough Thyme, new foods and a team who’s moving onward and upward.

Throughout the Christmas season, we cooked our fair share of meat and potato meals, so we’re excited for some change and are sure that everyone else is, too. A new year always brings resolutions and a desire to get back to status quo – or even better than status quo. This also often includes a healthy lifestyle.

We’ve been busy in-store making healthy casseroles and soups. It may be a challenge to do a complete 180 toward healthy cooking, but small changes can help create a path to success, and we’re starting in the kitchen.

Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

  • 4 C chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 C cornmeal
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 1/3 C butter
  • 1/3 C grated parmesan

Instructions

  • In a heavy saucepan, bring chicken stock and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in cornmeal in a thin stream. Add chopped thyme.
  • Cook polenta over moderately low heat (it should be barely boiling), stirring constantly until it’s thick and pulls away from the side of the pan (about 40 minutes for cornmeal and about 15 minutes for instant polenta).
  • Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
  • Stir polenta just before using. It will keep warm, covered, about 20 minutes.
  • Makes about 3 cups.

Mushroom chicken breast

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1-1/2 C forest mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 of a red onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 C white wine
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and sear in hot pan, skin side down first.
  • Place on baking sheet and bake in oven at 400˚F for approximately 18 minutes.
  • In hot pan, add oil and sauté mushrooms, add onions, garlic and salt and pepper.
  • Once the onions have browned, deglaze with white wine and reduce until the liquid evaporates.
  • Add 2 handfuls of spinach and toss. Serve over baked chicken breast.

 

Image: Apolonia / FreeDigitalPhotos.net