I can't tell you exactly what a cacciatore is, because- well, I'm French-Canadian, not Italian. :) But I can tell you what I look for in a new recipe: I want it to be easy and not overly time consuming, full of clean (or mostly-clean) ingredients, and taste delicious (passing the husband-kid test).
An added bonus if it's easy to double or makes multiple portions. I want it to stretch into more than one meal so I can take it to work at night at the hospital, AND feed my family at home at the same time.
This awesome recipe from the Team BeachBody Blog fits the bill in every one of those categories. It was especially fun to photograph as I made it, due to the vibrant colors of the amazing vegetables. It's also easily made vegetarian, simply by substituting tofu for (or leaving out) the chicken. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you thought! Here's what you'll need:
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1½ tsp. dried basil, crushed
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (you can substitute 2 more zucchini if you don't feel like eggplant)
6 fresh parsley sprigs, finely chopped (for garnish, optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Tip: Make sure you have it on medium high or your chicken will cook too slowly and also be more dry!
***You'll spend about ten minutes prepping if you chop this all at once and about 20 minutes cooking, start to finish. :) ***
3. Add onion, celery, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
4. Add tomatoes, basil, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes. This is easy, right?
5. Add zucchini and eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, and juices run clear. Tip: Never be afraid to pull out that thermometer (165 for poultry) or better yet, cut a piece in half and make sure there's no pink!
6. Garnish with parsley if desired. Trust me, you do. It not only gives it a little wow factor, but it adds a good counterbalance of flavor.
Tip: Chicken Cacciatore can be served over brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Add a yellow for the container of whole grains- I personally used my favorite quinoa blend from Costco and it was amazing, adding a nutty crunch and texture!
This recipe is good for four portions, each serving is 2 greens and 1 red on the container system I use to keep my eating healthy and proportioned. To get your hands on it, go here, or email me any time with questions! So, I simply divided it into 4 Tupperware containers and had myself 4 ready to eat meals to take to work over the next few nights. I love simple!
If you don't know me yet, my name is Amanda Noddings, and I am a busy mother of two who works full time in Nursing. I am also a Star Diamond Beachbody Coach. Through my own journey to lose over 90 pounds and fight depression after the loss of my baby, I have revived my life with a new purpose for helping others and a passion for health and fitness!
To contact me about joining Team Driven, having Free coaching and support, or getting started with a program and achieving your health and fitness goals, fill out this quick contact form and I'll get back to you ASAP:
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Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
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