Lazy Monday Chicken and Potatoes - 2 Ways!

Mondays are always a bit hectic over here. I'm sure you all can relate. My weekends never have enough days in them and it always leaves me feeling pushed into the morning light on Mondays in a foggy haze. We've been doing swimming lessons in the mornings - now there's school to wake up for and I also get my CSA box Monday afternoons. That means my kitchen has to be clean (which is usually quite a feat given what goes on in there on the weekends - lots of fun times, not much cleaning) and I have to do a lot of veggie meal prepping. Dinner is usually left to the wayside, which is ironic given all the fresh veggies begging to be eaten.


When I can, I use my husband as much as possible at dinner time. We have a lot of fun in the kitchen, listening to music, flirting, making a mess, ignoring the angry "starving" children. It's hectic but we find our own world to escape to in the kitchen. Latley, I've been needing him Mondays and that usually means chicken and potatoes. Simple, fresh ingredients make it so easy to get good comfort food, which is definitely needed after a day through the wringer. Here's a couple ways we make it work.


Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Rosemary Chicken Breast Bake

You Will Need:

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• Fork
• Baking Sheet
• Aluminum Foil
• Paper Towel
• Non Stick Spray
• 8x8 Glass Baking Dish

Ingredients:

• 2 Thawed Chicken Breasts
• 1 Pound Small Potatoes
• 2 Handfuls of Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 10 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs (or crackers, potato chips...)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and cut potatoes and set aside in mixing bowl
3. Wash and cut tomatoes and set aside
4. Wash and roughly chop rosemary, add half to potatoes
5. Add olive oil and salt and pepper, mix
6. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes
7. While it's baking... Cut chicken through the middle and into quarters, pat dry with paper towel
8. Mix together sour cream, vinegar and half of the chopped rosemary, add salt and pepper to taste
9. Dip chicken in sour cream mixture
10. Spray baking dish and add chicken, sprinkle with bread crumbs
11. Stir up the potatoes, add chicken to the oven and cook for 25 minutes
12. Top with sliced tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes

So delicious. The sour cream makes the chicken so moist and if you happen to be afraid of rosemary - trust me, the fresh rosemary is key - the flavor isn't as heavy and it doesn't stick you in the side of the mouth like a pine needle might. I've been topping all my dishes with tomatoes lately, I have a lot of berry and cherry and pear tomatoes from my garden. If you're not a fan, it's ok to leave them out!

Simple Frying Pan Chicken and Gravy with Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

You Will Need: 

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Ziplock Bag
• Paper Towel
• Stock Pot
• Potato Masher
• Frying Pan
• Tongs

Ingredients:

• 2 Thawed Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• Handful of Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Cup Flour + 3 Tablespoons (for gravy)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Pound Small Potatoes (or maybe 4 large ones)
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1. Wash and cut potatoes into quarters, put in stock pot
2. Chop rosemary and garlic
3. Add water and cover, boil for 20 minutes
4. Meanwhile... cut chicken into strips and pat with paper towel
5. Heat oil in frying pan on medium
6. In plastic bag add flour, 1/2 of the rosemary, paprika and salt and pepper to taste, shake
7. Add chicken and shake
8. Cook chicken for 4-6 minutes and flip, cooking them for another 4-6 minutes
9. Set chicken aside and turn heat to low, leaving the chicken drippings in the pan
10.  Add a little cream first and 3 tablespoons flour, a little bit at a time until desired consistency, salt and pepper to taste (we like a lot of pepper) 
11. Season potatoes with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, add a couple tablespoons of cream and mash