Chicken, Leeks and Spinach in a Creamy Wine Sauce

It’s April! That means we’ve got a whole new batch of produce that has come into season and a whole new menu can be created with the freshest produce (and typically the least expensive because it’s in season). I’ve hunted down this new recipe because when I was browsing the list of seasonal products for April, I ran across leeks. And that was it! I adore leeks. I could eat leeks daily. The hunt for a good looking, healthy, balanced leek recipe began. Let me tell you that there’s a whole world of amazing leek recipes I’m excited to adventure into but this one caught my eye and I just don’t see how it can go wrong. I was excited by the leeks alone but this recipe also calls for mushrooms and greens – all of which are also in season in April and might excite you more. So, triple win!

Leeks are cousins of onions and pack some benefits like fiber, vitamins and antioxidents. Mushrooms (if cooked) bring protein, iron, zinc and other vitamins to the dish. Garlic, greens, lean meat, olive oil – so many ingredients in this recipe are good for you. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4-6 small chicken breasts or thighs (we used skinless-boneless thighs)
• 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, thoroughly washed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups crimini or button mushrooms, sliced (9oz, 250g)
• 4 cups baby spinach (5oz, 150g), washed
• ⅔ cup dry white wine (we used Sauvignon Blanc) (150ml)
• 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (approx. one lemon)
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock (250ml)
• 1 cup heavy cream (200ml)
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dry the chicken well and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Pre-heat a large, heavy skillet on a medium-high flame and then add olive oil. Add the chicken in a single layer, (skin-side down, if skin-on) and cook until deep golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and lightly brown the other side, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the mushrooms and let them cook on one side without stirring until they’re deep brown and caramelized on one side, about 5 minutes. Toss the mushrooms and add leeks to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
3. Add the wine and let it reduce down by half and then add the lemon zest, thyme, mustard, chicken stock and cream.
4. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 15-25 minutes, depending on thickness. If using skinless chicken, turn pieces in the sauce a few times while cooking to keep it moist). Check the liquid level a few times while cooking and add more stock as necessary. When chicken is cooked through (registers 165ºF on an instant read thermometer), remove it to a platter.
5. Stir in the spinach until just wilted, check seasoning and spoon sauce over chicken.

Thanks to Nerds with Knives for this recipe.