Chicken, Kale & Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce

If you’re looking for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, this is it!

My weeknight routine is simple: get home from work, change, work out, then make dinner. Since Hubby works late most nights, I am not rushed to get home and cook a meal, but because I like to get my work out in after work, by the time I’m actually ready to make dinner, it’s almost 6:30…by then, I’m pretty hungry and it’s tempting to just grab cereal. Don’t get me wrong; I love me a bowl of Special K Red Berries but all cereal and no protein makes Jenn a dull girl! It definitely takes a lot of on-going planning to be sure that we are eating healthy dinners so that’s why I loved this recipe; it’s not only healthy, but super quick!

Kale is one of the veggies that has grown in popularity lately and for good reason; it is SO very good for us. It is full of antioxidants like carotenoids and flavonoids which protect our cells from free radicals. One cup of Kale has only 36 calories and provides 10% of the omega-3 fatty acids that help to regulate our body’s inflammatory process. Scientists believe that these antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities can prevent cancer, support a good cardiovascular system and is a great detox. Kale’s greatest quality is its huge dose of Vitamin K (one cup supplies you with over 1,200% of your recommended daily allowance!) which prevents calcium build-up in our tissues. Kale is also full of Vitamins A & C…and it’s delicious! It is very similar to spinach in its consistency and when it’s cooked, just a little more firm and with a good bite. Throw it in soups, stews, sauces, and stir fry. You can find it in the veggie section of your grocery store in either large leaf or in a bag already pre-chopped like this:

Ingredients:
16 oz chicken tenders
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
¼ cup flour (for dredging)
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz sliced mushrooms (I used baby Bellas, but feel free to use your fave!)
4 cups kale, chopped (mostly leaves, if you are using full leaves, remove most of the stem)
¼ cup white wine
1/3 cup fat free chicken broth
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Serves 4

If you don’t have tenders on hand, feel free to use chicken breasts and just cut them into strips.

First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees (just to keep your chicken warmed while veggies are sautéing).

Season your strips with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like then lightly dredge in flour. In a med/large sauté pan, melt 1tsp butter and 1tsp olive oil and cook the chicken on medium heat until chicken is no longer pink then place on a baking sheet and warm in the oven.

Add the rest of the butter and olive oil to the skillet and cook the garlic for just a few seconds. Then add mushrooms and kale (like spinach, the kale will shrink down quickly so don’t worry about overflow), sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and cook down for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, broth and parsley and stir. Cook until the liquid reduces to about half. Add the chicken back in and stir.

Serve with brown rice or just eat on its own, it’s SOOOO good!

Per serving: 222 Calories/5.6g Fat/13.5g Carbs