A fulfilling meal you can make in one pan in less than 30 minutes is the ultimate modern-day survival tool. It’s just the thing to jump-start your engine as it sputters and stalls around 5 p.m., when those first thoughts of dinner hit and you realize you need to get something on the table soon.
Knowing you can whip up a meal with little cleanup can tip the scales toward cooking instead of grabbing takeout; over time, that could make a real difference in your well-being, because homemade food typically is considerably more healthful — with fewer calories, less sodium and saturated fat and more nutrients — than prepared foods from a store or restaurant.
I think everyone should have at least five rush-hour dinner recipes in their repertoire, and you can count this one as a keeper.
Here, quick-cooking chicken breast cutlets are browned in a skillet, then transferred to a plate so the rest of the meal can be made in the same pan. When onions and carrots are added, they pick up the browned bits of flavor left from the chicken, and as they soften and release their moisture, a flavorful sauce begins to develop. Zucchini, haricots verts, garlic and thyme are added next, along with tomato paste, broth and hearty white beans. The whole saucy mixture simmers until the vegetables are just tender. In minutes, you have a sumptuous, colorful, herb-infused stew of French-Mediterranean goodness for your chicken to rest on. A sprinkle of fresh basil ribbons brings it all together for a dish that can help keep you from unraveling, even on the busiest weeknights.
Chicken with Provencal white bean and vegetable ragout
45-ounce pieces thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2tablespoons olive oil
1small onion, chopped
1large carrot, scrubbed well and finely diced
1small zucchini, diced
4ounces haricots verts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2cloves garlic, minced
2teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
2tablespoons tomato paste
11/2cups no-salt-added chicken broth
115-ounce can no-salt-added white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
1/2cup packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Here, tender chicken sits atop a sumptuous, herb-infused simmer of vegetables and white beans that rings with flavors of the French Mediterranean.
Season the chicken with half of the salt and half of the pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add half of the chicken; cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Cook the remaining 2 pieces of chicken in the same manner (no need to add oil).
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet; reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently to dislodge any browned bits from the chicken still in the pan, until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the zucchini, haricots verts, garlic, thyme and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste until it’s evenly distributed, then add the broth and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the basil and the lemon juice.
To serve, spoon the bean-vegetable mixture onto serving plates and top each with a piece of chicken. Garnish with the remaining basil.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition, per serving: 360 calories, 39g protein, 23g carbohydrates, 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 105mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 6g dietary fiber, 5g sugar.
Ellie Krieger, author of “Weeknight Wonders: Delicious Healthy Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013), blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at www.elliekrieger.com.
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