Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach

While browsing through a few of my favorite blogs last week, I came across this recipe posted by For The Love of Cooking.  (If you aren't already familiar, click on over, she's got loads of yummy stuff.) She made this recipe look outstanding!  Add to that, I love pretty much everything from Cooking Light.  So I decided to give it a try.  Let me tell you we were not disappointed!  It was just what I was hoping it would be and more.  Super easy and has very few ingredients.  (The only real change I made was to use chicken breasts instead of thighs.)  Add to that, its a lighter, healthier meal.  Which I promise is something you'll be seeing more of here again.  Those of you who have been with me since the beginning may remember when this blog focused mainly on, dare I say, healthy meals.  But I digress... back to this meal. 

There's one thing that makes a "healthy" dinner a winner in my book and it's if I think it's good enough to serve to company.  This one achieved just that.  It has a rustic simplicity but at the same time is good enough to share with others.  Give it a try, see for yourself and enjoy!

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach
Original recipe in Cooking Light ~ October 2010

4 slices of bacon, trimmed of most fat, chopped and cooked
2 tsp olive oil (divided)
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned and pounded flat
House Seasoning
Dried basil, to taste
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 15 oz can of white beans, rinsed & drained
2 cups of baby spinach
Once the bacon is cooked, remove from pan and set aside.  Remove all but 1 tsp of bacon grease from the skillet. Add 1 tsp olive oil to the bacon grease in the skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil, to taste on both sides. Once the skillet is HOT, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, cover with a tin foil tent, and set aside.

Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until tender.  Add the minced garlic, and cook stirring continuously for 1 minute. Add the drained diced tomatoes and white beans. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Add bacon back to the pan.  Add the spinach, season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and dried basil, to taste. Pour the juices from the chicken into the pan and mix well. Ladle the beans and spinach onto a serving dish then top with chicken. Serve immediately. Enjoy.