Steamed Chicken & Spinach
I created this recipe for times when I am too exhausted to spend a lot of time cooking a meal and I just want something that is fast and healthy. I just started throwing things together that I thought would taste good but also be good for me and to my surprised it worked out lovely :) I have been eating this a few times a week because it is that good and I still get my necessary nutrients.
*Note: I do not use exact measurements when I cook; I eyeball it and adjust to my liking so any measurements below are more of a suggestion/guideline.
This recipe usually takes me about 10-15 minutes including prep time but that’s because I use fresh ingredients instead of frozen. If using frozen ingredients, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
All natural or organic chicken tenders from free range chicken (fresh or thawed, not frozen) (or if you are vegetarian use whatever meat substitute you prefer)
Raw, Organic Honey, or whatever honey you have on hand
Raw, cold pressed, organic Coconut Oil
Trader Joe’s Salute seasoning
Sea Salt (regular or pink) (Omit if you are on a low sodium diet or have high blood pressure)
1 medium/large pot with lid
A glass microwave-safe bowl with lid for leftovers (No cooking lunch tomorrow! Yay!)
Fill a pot 1/4 of the way with water. Add in a spoonful of coconut oil and a dash of sea salt and mix in. Place on high heat until this comes to a boil. While you are waiting for this, prepare the chicken.
Prepare 2 thinly sliced chicken breasts to whatever size you prefer and rinse with water. (If you don’t have chicken breasts this recipe also works with dark meat as well). Set aside.
In the skillet warm a few tablespoons of coconut oil. Add a tablespoon of honey and mix with your spatula or a spoon. Mix in a tsp of Trader Joe’s salut seasoning, a tsp of ginger, a dash of paprika, and 1/4 to 1 tsp of sea salt. Adjust to taste. Add more coconut oil if necessary. You want enough of this mixture to coat both sides of the chicken and still have a little oil left in the skillet to cook with.
With the skillet still on low heat, place the chicken tenders into the oil mixture then immediately flip the chicken tenders on the other side. This way the mixture is on both sides.
Cover the skillet with a lid and raise the heat to medium low heat. (Necessary temperature setting may vary per stove)
Rinse off a handful of kale, a handful of broccoli, and a handful of green beans and place them into the pot you prepared. Change the heat to low and place a lid on the pot.
Flip the chicken, using the lid to shield yourself from any oil that may splash up. Keep flipping as necessary.
Add a few handfuls of spinach to the chicken, stirring in with the oil. Keep in mind the spinach is a lot smaller after applying heat. You only want the spinach on the heat for a minute or two until the color is nice and rich. You do not want to cook for two long because you want to maintain most of the nutrients.
To see if the chicken is done, cut a piece chicken to make sure there is no pink inside or use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.
If the greens in the pot are a nice, rich green color and are soft, drain the water out.
Now you are ready to serve! :) Set aside any leftovers in a glass bowl in the refrigerator to eat for lunch the next day ;) Remember that it is healthy to have a small portion of meat with the majority of your dinner focusing around veggies & greens. You can change up this recipe with different spices, different veggies/greens, or by adding citrus peels to keep from getting bored of the same foods.
This meal is especially great for those who need to consume more iron!