Chef Patrice Olivon

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Pan Seared Chicken Breast on a Bed of Sautéed Spinach with Baby Arugula and Spinach Pesto, Tomato Sauce and Blue Cheese

Baby Arugula with Spinach Choice Greens Blend by DOLE^® inspired this entrée as I wanted to use packaged salad in a unique and unexpected way. In this dish, I’m using the baby arugula and spinach to make a delicious pesto sauce for the top of the chicken, and more spinach as a bed for underneath the chicken. This is a healthy and delicious entrée that can be served any time because DOLE Fresh Vegetables are tender and flavorful year-round.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 22 minutes
Yield: 4 entrée portions

Ingredients for chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces per piece)
2 tablespoons California certified extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup tomato sauce

For black olive paste
1/4 cup California Kalamata olives, pitted
2 anchovy filets with the olive oil from the package
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Note: If you’d like to use this black olive paste in other recipes, add 1 clove of garlic.

For baby arugula pesto
1 1/2 cups DOLE^® Baby Arugula with Spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
4 tablespoons California certified extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For sautéed spinach
8 cups DOLE Spinach
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons California certified extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup smoked bacon, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Methode
Make a marinade: Combine the California certified extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary and black peppercorns in a medium container. Add the chicken breasts and use a spatula to coat the chicken with the marinade. Place the chicken breasts in the refrigerator to marinate for 3-4 hours. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be, so consider marinating the chicken the night before serving.

Make the olive paste: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until it becomes a paste. Set the olive paste aside.

Make the baby arugula pesto: combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until it becomes a paste. Add more California certified extra virgin olive oil until it reaches the consistency you prefer for pesto.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sauté the chicken breasts: In a large sauté pan over high heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and season them with salt. Place the chicken breasts in the sauté pan and sear them until they are golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken breasts to a medium-sized baking pan. With a small spatula, spread 1/4 of the black olive paste on each piece of chicken, covering the entire top surface. Spoon the tomato sauce evenly on top of the olive paste, then top each chicken breast with a tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 170 degrees.

Sauté the spinach while the chicken is baking: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the bacon strips and sauté for 1 minute, then add the crushed garlic cloves. When the garlic reaches a very light tan color, add all of the spinach to the pan. When all of the spinach wilts, remove the sauté pan from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the dish: With tongs, divide the sautéed spinach onto four plates. Set the chicken breasts with tomato sauce and blue cheese on top of the spinach. Drizzle the baby arugula pesto over each piece of chicken and serve immediately.

"Dinner is Served. Bon Appetit!" — Chef Patrice Olivon

Try serving Artichoke and Chestnut Velouté with Caramelized Apples and Grilled Caesar Salad with Parmesan Lollipops as a side dish.

From: Dinner is Served, a public television series
© 2009 Fresh TV Creative, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
DOLE is a registered trademark of Dole Food Company, Inc.

For more information about Chef Patrice and Dinner is Served,
visit www.chefpatrice.tv