• 4 chicken breasts, diced into bite sized cubes
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 large Roma tomatoes, diced into bite sized cubes
• 2 cups of spinach, roughly chopped (or less if you like)
• 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 250 grams fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds
• Handful of basil, reserve a bit for garnish!
• Olive oil, for sautéeing
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Chili flakes, to taste
• Balsamic glaze (optional), for garnish
• A hungry stomach!

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Start by heating up olive oil in a 10 inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Once the olive oil is heated, add the chicken breast, season with salt & pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until the chicken is starting to cook. Add the onions and garlic, season again with salt, pepper & chili flakes (if you want) and sauté until the onions are translucent and the chicken is brown.

To the skillet add the diced tomatoes, basil and spinach. Toss to combine and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar.

Top with the sliced cheese (make sure the top is covered with cheese, it’s the best part!).

Put the whole skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and more fresh basil. Serve on it’s own or over pasta or with bread. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days for leftovers.

Yum!

*If you don’t have a skillet big enough, or if you’re skillet is TOO big, then transfer the chicken mixture to a baking dish, then add in the fresh ingredients and bake.

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Hey! Oh my goodness, I haven’t posted in MONTHS. It was a crazy busy and fun summer with my loved ones (I kayaked SO much, guys!), but I’m looking forward to the quiet, slow, coziness of fall. And now that the heat waves are done, I can finally use the oven again, woo!

So to ring in the beginning of fall we have another “WILL IT SKILLET”! A Caprese Chicken Skillet. One of my favourite summer meals in the world is caprese salad. Fresh tomatoes, creamy cheese, herby basil and tangy balsamic. It is a match made in foodie heaven. With thanks to my parents and their pro gardening skills, I was blessed with many tomatoes this summer that I was able to enjoy it whenever I wanted!

But for autumn, it’s nice to have something hot and cozy. This skillet has all the flavours and components of a caprese salad, but it’s baked and perfect for eating wrapped up in a cozy blanket! The cheese gets all ooey gooey and melty, the tomatoes are hot and juicy, the balsamic makes a delicious sauce, and chicken and spinach add protein. It’s an all in one dish!

And it really is an all in one dish, the whole thing from start to finish is made in one pan. A cast iron skillet (dun dun dun). You can transfer it to a different pan once the chicken is browned, but why would you make more dishes, come on!

This skillet is beyond quick and easy. Start by browning chunks of chicken, onion and garlic. Once it’s browned, add in the diced tomatoes, spinach and basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, top with LOTS of fresh mozzarella cheese and bake! Once the cheese melts and the tomatoes are soft and hot through, top with more basil and your favourite balsamic glaze. I made this last night and from the time I chopped the chicken to the time I took it out of the oven was 30 minutes! And 15-20 minutes of that was it cooking in the oven, so really I only spent around 10 minutes actually preparing it. What you do with that extra 20 minutes is up to you. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!

There’s a few ways to eat this. I eat it on it’s own as a standalone dish because I deliciously ate my way through my vacations this summer, so I try to avoid pasta and bread during the week (but not wine, don’t worry!). BUT this would be A-MAH-ZING over pasta. It makes it’s own sauce and it’s already got cheese. Easy pasta dish, right? Or just sop the sauce up with garlic bread, because you can only make a dish better with garlic bread. Or – just do both! Serve it over pasta AND eat it with garlic bread! Live your best life! Ugh I’m making myself hungry.

This dish definitely makes enough for 3-4 people, especially if you serve it over pasta or with bread. If you’re missing the fresh, tangy flavours of summer caprese salad but your tummy is craving something cozy, then this is the perfect dish!

• Super quick and easy;
• Healthy(ish) – cheese is healthy, right?;
• Low-carb;
• Versatile – serve it on it’s own or with pasta/rice/bread;
• Short prep time;
• Hot and cozy but still fresh and light;
• Juicy, tangy and cheesy (like me…LOL);
• Made all in one pot;
• Makes great leftovers; and
• It’s just plain delicious!