Chicken Cacciatore over Cauliflower Mash

Birds eye view of chicken cacciatore in a white bowl with a stripped napkin laid next to it.

Looking for a quick healthy meal that takes minimal prep work? This chicken cacciatore over cauliflower mash is the way to go. Enjoy!

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Low Fat

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings people

Calories 360kcal

Author Jillian Schneider

Equipment

hand blender or regular blender
large pot
cast-iron skillet or dutch oven
colander

Ingredients

For the chicken
1½ lbs chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into thin strips, fat trimmed off
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp garlic minced
1 small onion diced
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper sliced thin, stem and seeds removed
1 green bell pepper sliced thin, stem and seeds removed
2 oz. mushrooms sliced, cremini or white
28 oz. can of diced tomatoes undrained
1 cup baby spinach
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. thyme
¾ cup dry white wine
parmesan cheese grated (optional topping)
fresh parsley chopped (optional topping)
For the cauliflower mash
1 head cauliflower cut into pieces and leaves and stems discarded
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk or choice
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1 - cut the fat off the chicken and slice it into about ½-inch thick pieces. Season with salt and pepper and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2 - Heat a cast-iron skillet or a dutch oven to medium-high heat and add in your butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add in your chicken and brown both sides. The chicken will finish cooking at a later step. Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove from the pan and plate to the side.
Step 3 - Add second tbsp. of olive oil and add the onions, peppers, and garlic to the same pan and cook for one minute scraping up any brown bits . Add in the thyme, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Step 5 - Return the chicken to the pan, but do not submerge in the sauce. Place in oven and cook for 1 hour.
Step 6 - Meanwhile, to make the cauliflower mash - bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and turn the heat down to med-low. Cook covered for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is soft and tender. When it is done, remove from heat and drain in a colander.
Step 7 - Put the cooked cauliflower into a large bowl and add the butter, milk, garlic powder and desired salt and pepper. I own a hand blender I got as a gift for my bridal shower. It is the best thing I own and I used it to mash the cauliflower. If you do not own one you can pour cauliflower into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Step 8 - Once chicken is done cooking remove the pan from the oven. Take the chicken and veggies out of the pan and put them on a separate plate. Use a slotted spoon to remove veggies but leave the sauce in the pan.
Step 9 - Turn the stove on medium-high heat and place the pan with the sauce back on the stove. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender; about 5 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook until wilted; about 3 minutes.
Step 10 - To plate; spoon the cauliflower mash onto the plate and then top it with the chicken and veggies then the sauce poured over top! If desired, top with grated parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

How can the kids help?

- Use a fork and mash the cauliflower once it's cooked. There is something kids love about mashing anything.

- Toss the ingredients into the skillet with assistance of course.

- Help cut up the parsley that will be scattered on top at the end. They can even rip the stems off of the parsley and make a pile of leaves and stems. A little science lesson ;)

What is the best wine to use?

I prefer using a dry white wine. This helps to keep the chicken flavor light and not empowering over the chicken. If you are more into a bolder-tasting sauce then by all means use your red wine.

How to store this dish?

Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition