Simple Supper: Chicken and Chorizo with Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Monterey Jack
Raise your hand if you're busy. Now raise your hand if you're hungry. Now raise you're hand if you're both. Good thing I'm here to solve all your problems. Well, the aforementioned, at least. This is a variation on a meal I invented a few years ago. The old one included pasta, but since I'm trying to eat low-to-no-carb, I cut out the pasta altogether, and I will say that this simple dinner is equally as satisfying. Creating recipes and trying out different, and unique flavor combinations is kind of my thing. I get really, really excited when they work out well, and this is an example of one time when I really didn't know how it was going to turn out. Let me tell you, it would taste good on a shoe.
Start by preheating a 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
over high heat. Next, take 3 links of Argentinian Style Chorizo Sausage out of the casing. Chorizo is a seasoned sausage used in Spanish and Latin American cooking. It has, however, made its way in the hearts of Americans. Its main ingredients are pork and paprika, though they add some other spices and garlic. (TayTip: To easily remove the sausage from the casing, make a separation in the middle of the link with your fingers. Then twist a few times, and squeeze the two separated portions out each end.) Place in the skillet to brown for about 10 minutes. This is a high fat sausage, so there is no need for any oil in the pan. In fact, you will have too much oil, so my trick for getting rid of that without a greasy stack of paper towels at the end is to store your sausage in a container with a spout. I use a Pyrex 2-Cup Measuring Cup
and cover it with foil. That way when you go to pour out any residual grease, the foil keeps the sausage from falling out.
Once your chorizo is out of the pan, there will still be a lot of grease in the actual skillet. Pour out all but 2T of that. Then take 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and place the thighs in the skillet. Cook until meat is no longer pink, or the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. This takes about 15-18 minutes. Next, open an 8.5oz. jar of Sundried Tomatoes In Olive Oil
and place it upside down in a mesh strainer over a bowl or container. Since there is already a little bit of oil from the chorizo, you want to make sure you let as much oil drip off the tomatoes as possible. While the chicken and tomatoes are doing their things, you'll want to grate about 1.5 cups of Monterey Jack Cheese
. I use this Grater
because of the variation in sides and grating style.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pan, and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Clean the skillet with warm water only, and return it to medium heat. Next add 1 lb. of fresh Spinach
and cook until wilted. Will produce 2 cups cooked. Take it from the pan, place in a Colander
, and use Tongs
squeeze out any water left.
Start by preheating a 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
over high heat. Next, take 3 links of Argentinian Style Chorizo Sausage out of the casing. Chorizo is a seasoned sausage used in Spanish and Latin American cooking. It has, however, made its way in the hearts of Americans. Its main ingredients are pork and paprika, though they add some other spices and garlic. (TayTip: To easily remove the sausage from the casing, make a separation in the middle of the link with your fingers. Then twist a few times, and squeeze the two separated portions out each end.) Place in the skillet to brown for about 10 minutes. This is a high fat sausage, so there is no need for any oil in the pan. In fact, you will have too much oil, so my trick for getting rid of that without a greasy stack of paper towels at the end is to store your sausage in a container with a spout. I use a Pyrex 2-Cup Measuring Cup and cover it with foil. That way when you go to pour out any residual grease, the foil keeps the sausage from falling out. 
Once your chorizo is out of the pan, there will still be a lot of grease in the actual skillet. Pour out all but 2T of that. Then take 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and place the thighs in the skillet. Cook until meat is no longer pink, or the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. This takes about 15-18 minutes. Next, open an 8.5oz. jar of Sundried Tomatoes In Olive Oil
and place it upside down in a mesh strainer over a bowl or container. Since there is already a little bit of oil from the chorizo, you want to make sure you let as much oil drip off the tomatoes as possible. While the chicken and tomatoes are doing their things, you'll want to grate about 1.5 cups of Monterey Jack Cheese. I use this Grater because of the variation in sides and grating style. 
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pan, and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Clean the skillet with warm water only, and return it to medium heat. Next add 1 lb. of fresh Spinach
and cook until wilted. Will produce 2 cups cooked. Take it from the pan, place in a Colander, and use Tongs squeeze out any water left. 
Scatter the spinach as a bed on a large serving platter. In a separate bowl toss chicken, sausage, and tomatoes until incorporated. Top with cheese and allow time to melt. And lastly, squeeze the juice from one lime on top of the entire platter.
This is quite the hearty dinner by nature with two kinds of meat. But the spinach and lime juice really work against the richness of the dark meat chicken and the chorizo. Which, by the way are slightly seasoned, and incredibly full of spice, respectively. The chicken is incredibly moist and springs apart when you bite down. The spinach, while low in flavor, is full in vitamins and adds a good variety in texture. The sun-dried tomatoes are intensely sweet and slightly tart at the same time. The monterey jack melts wonderfully, and I chose this mild cheese so as to not be an overpowering, conflicting flavor with the strong chorizo and tomatoes. And lastly, the lime juice adds a brightness needed to lift the flavor profile of the entire dish.
Comment below with questions/concerns/ideas. Buon appetito!
Categories:
baby spinach,
cheese,
chicken,
chorizo,
dinner,
lime,
low carb,
monteray jack,
sausage,
sun-dried tomatoes
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