Alright. First off I’d like to thank the Academy.  Ok. Not really, but I would like to thank my mother for always making things from scratch.  After years of peering over the counter watching her chop veggies and try new recipes, I can officially say that I’ve inherited the kitchen bug.

I found a recipe similar to this one last night on Pinterest and totally forgot to actually pin it…what does this mean?  Well it means I’ll never find it again. It’s now lost in an abyss of recipes and handicrafts.  Thankfully, I read the recipe well a couple of times and had already done the shopping for it.  Now, it’s time to put my own twist on it.

The original recipe only called for around 5 ingredients:  Roma Tomatoes, Jarred Artichokes, Flour, Sugar and Chicken.  That’s it. yup.  It was a Clean Eating Recipe and well, I guess they didn’t realize that white flour and white granulated sugar are both no-no’s in the Clean Eating world.

I also am a HUGE fan of Fresh Herbs and food with a bit of a tang to it:  Insert Balsamic Vinegar.  Oh B-Vin you ol’ dog you!  You always know how to make a girl feel sophisticated.

I also forgot the temp on the oven and how long to cook it…so we winged it…and well..it worked!

My husband gladly ate his over angel hair pasta and said he liked it enough for me to make it again, but not enough to eat leftovers.  I still consider this a victory since my husbands idea of pantry staples are Manwich, Suddenly Salad, Frozen Pizza and Pierogies.

You can use any 9×13 cake pan or roaster…I have a Le Creuset 3qt Au Gratin that I used for this recipe.

If you are super new to cooking..don’t be afraid this is NOT a difficult recipe 🙂

Materials I used:

• Large Roaster / 9×13 pan / 3 qt Au Gratin (whichever you have)
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Cutting Board (This is mine)
• Knife for chopping (I use a 5″ Wusthof Santoku)
• Spatula or large Spoon (I use a Mix N Scraper from Pampered Chef)
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

So I started out by cutting each Roma Tomato into 4, then coring them, then chopping them up from there.  I drained a small jar of Artichoke hearts and added them to the bowl.  This is where I start to get creative because the original recipe only called for two more ingredients, white flour and sugar. Nope Not using those.  So instead I add Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, Chopped Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped Fresh Basil, minced garlic, salt & pepper, grated Parmesan and whole wheat flour.  I generously Salted & Peppered my Chicken breasts and then popped it in the oven! BOOM that easy!

I baked it, covered in tin foil, at 350 degrees until the chicken was almost done, then took off the foil, stirred it up a bit, basted the chicken, sprinkled on some Parm/Asiago mix and fresh parsley and popped it back into the oven until bubbly and the chicken/cheese mix was slightly browned.

Served it over Quinoa for me and Angel hair pasta for my husband. it was delish 🙂

Chicken with Balsamic Tomatoes & Artichokes

Easy / Serves 4-6 depending on portions

• 2.5 lb pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts (thawed/fresh)
• 6-8 Ripe Roma Tomatoes
• 1 small jar of Artichoke Hearts
• 1 heaping TBL of Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 Tbl grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tbl to 1/4 c Shredded Parmesan, Asiago or blend Cheese
• 1 tsp honey
• 1-2 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (reserve 1/4c for end of baking & garnish)
• 2-3 large Basil Leaves Chopped
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Wash then Quarter, core and chop up Roma Tomatoes and put them in a large mixing bowl
3. Drain and add Artichoke hearts to the bowl
4. Add Garlic, 1/4 cup of the Parsley, Basil, Honey, Balsamic Vinegar, Grated parmesan cheese, Whole Wheat Flour and mix together.
5. Pour into a greased baking dish
6. wash and pat dry the Chicken breasts, then generously salt and pepper them.
7. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the tomato mixtures
8. Cover with Foil and back until chicken is almost finished, approx 50 mins.
9. Take the foil off, stir it up, baste the chicken and sprinkle shredded cheese onto chicken.
10. Place back in oven and bake until bubbly and the chicken/cheese turns a golden brown.