Month-of-One-Pan Meals: Tuscan Chicken My Way

Welcome to my annual Month-of Recipes on this blog. Go rummaging in the attic here and you’ll find past recipe months for appetizers, chicken, soup, mini-desserts, and more. The way it works is, for each day in February I post a recipe that fits the category. This month is one-pan meals, excluding pizza, most casseroles, and slow cooker recipes.

Halfway done with this year’s February recipes and it’s a Happy Valentine’s Day, too!

Everyone needs a bit of special love on this day, and some of my love comes from the kitchen. This recipe took a bit more prep and steps to prepare than some of the recipes this month, but DH is so worth it!

I found this recipe on-line and it is compatible with Mediterranean-style eating, so I thought it would be an occasion-worthy meal to try out. However, in typical Sharon fashion, I did make modifications. If you want the original recipe I riffed on, take a look here for Tuscan Chicken.

Tuscan Chicken (serves 4 with leftover chicken)

3-4 pound roasting chicken

½ cup butter, melted

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons dry Italian dressing mix, divided

1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-size chunks

1 pound baby potatoes

1 cup cherry tomatoes

½ large red onion, cut in sections

3 tablespoons olive oil

Large handful of baby spinach for each plate

Remove chicken from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature during meal prep.

Put large cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Melt butter in coffee cup. Mix garlic and 2 teaspoons of Italian dressing into butter. Set aside.

Put olive oil and Italian dressing into zipper bag. Combine by mushing together.

Cut up vegetables and add to bag. Toss to coat the vegetables.

Coat both sides of the chicken and into crevices with seasoned garlic butter. Use all the butter, putting extra on the top.

When skillet has been in oven for at least five minutes at 450 degrees, remove the skillet to a heat-proof surface and put the chicken in the middle. Tuck the vegetables in around the chicken and put back in the oven.

After five minutes, turn the oven heat down to 375 degrees. Roast the chicken for about an hour and a half or an hour and 45 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 165 degrees.

Remove from oven. Tent with foil and let sit for five to ten minutes while you set the table and get other food ready to serve.

On each plate put a handful of baby spinach.

Slice chicken in the skillet and scoop out vegetables onto spinach. Put pan juice over the chicken and vegetables to slightly wilt the spinach. Eat immediately.

DH’s Rating: 5 Tongues Up

“This is a really pretty dish,” he told me after almost licking the plate. What? He notices how food looks? Wow!