Chicken Florentine for Two
Cooking for two is a lot easier when both people enjoy the same foods. Spinach, kale, chard — I love all kinds of greens. My husband doesn’t. Our garden always includes greens, most of which go to the Nubian dairy goats. I was determined to find a way to make greens palatable to my husband.
He likes chicken (home grown, of course), cheese, and rice. Enter Chicken Florentine, which includes all the things he likes, with steamed greens tucked into the middle. The perfect spinach dish to serve someone who hates greens.
This recipe is in 5 simple steps: precook the chicken, steam the greens, prepare the cheese sauce, bake the Chicken Florentine, steam some rice. (For those who don’t eat chicken, this dish is equally good without it.)
You’ll need two single-serving oven-proof casseroles. Into the bottom of each place a pat of butter.
1. Precook the Chicken:
Slice in half 2 chicken breasts.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme.
In a frying pan melt a pat of butter in a little oil. Fry the chicken 1 minute at high heat. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook 10 minutes more, or until the chicken is tender.
2. Steam the Greens
Meanwhile in a small saucepan combine
1/2 cup spinach, chard, or kale
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg or mace
Cook until the spinach wilts. Drain. Press out moisture.
3. Prepare the Cheese Sauce
In a small saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter.
Combine and stir into melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
dash nutmeg or mace
Add and stir until thickened
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
4. Bake the Chicken Florentine
Place one chicken breast in each buttered casserole. Top with greens. Pour half the cheese sauce over each. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned.
5. Steam the Rice
While the chicken is baking, steam a pot of your favorite type of rice.
When the florentines are done, loosen the edges and flip each into a dinner plate over a bed of rice. Enjoy!
As usual, we polished off our Chicken Florentine last evening before I thought about snapping a photo to show you how delicious it looks.