One-pan chicken with tomatoes, basil and feta
Dinner yesterday was one of those impromptu gems that turned out quite well: one-pan chicken with tomatoes, fresh basil and feta. I’ve got the recipe for you below, but first a little about our day because it felt more like a summery weekend day than a fall weekday.
The Pilot was home since he has a lot of “use or lose” leave, so he took a random day off where he wasn’t teaching.
Noodle was at school, so I booked him a surprise massage, I got my toes done (which I officially can no longer reach haha), and we met up at Cafe Bella for coffee. Cafe Bella is a cute coffee stand in OB, which has breakfast pastries, bagels, an awesome coffee menu (with every milk under the sun), and acai bowls.
He got an espresso, and I ordered a decaf Mexican mocha with almond milk, which tasted like a cookie in a cup.
(Insert heart eyes emoji here)
We took our coffees down to the beach and enjoyed some time people-watching and catching Vitamin D.
After we picked up noodle, we headed to Olive Tree for lunch and then back home to hang out before taking Liv to her favorite place to get her Halloween costume.
(The Disney Store. Every time we walk in, she says, “It’s so magical here!”)
Workout-wise, I got in a 21dayfix workout, and topped it off with some BODYPUMP practice. While it’s not my fave ever, I’m enjoying the newest release (launching at most gyms in October); the chest and shoulder tracks are particularly killer.
One-Pan Chicken Dinner
After our weekend-like day, the chicken dinner I made up came out really good. I also made some mac n’ cheese to go with it (because I thought Liv would eat that no matter what, but she ended up crushing the chicken and not touching the pasta. You never know.), and sauteed zucchini. Here’s the recipe so you can give it a try too!
One-Pan Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
- feta or parmesan
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper
- Brown in olive oil (on medium-high) for about 4 minutes per side
- Removed the chicken from the pan (just place them on a plate)
- Reduce heat to medium
- Add onion, splash of balsamic (to break up the bits on the bottom of the pan), and garlic
- After stirring a bit, til fragrant, reduce the heat to low
- Add crushed tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken back in the pan and cover it to let the steam finish cooking the chicken for about 10 minutes. (Just check by cutting through with a knife.)
- After the chicken is cooked, cover each piece in feta or parmesan and top with chopped fresh basil.
- Finish by spooning a bit of the tomato sauce on top and serve with your favorite pasta!
Hope you have a wonderful morning <3
xoxo
Gina
Workout of the day: this kettlebell circuit! Get in a total body workout with cardio blasts using this awesome tool.
Could you maybe do a post on where you go shopping for Liv/kid shop? I love all her outfits and have a little girl that will one day hit her age!!
sure! i get a majority of her clothes at baby gap and target (probably 90%). hm also has an awesome kids selection!
It seems you’ve got your cooking hat back on! It’s always nice to have a bum around town kind of day. I think we get so caught up in the hurry of life we forget to do live it. I like that you guys take the time for yourselves.
yes, just a little! it hasn’t been quite so hot, so that’s helped a lot 😉
i’ve learned it’s way better to take a little time here and there instead of waiting to burn out
hope you have a great weekend <3
Had to laugh about Liv crushing the chicken and ignoring the mac & cheese. Whenever I make a dinner completely geared toward my 20-month-old thinking she’ll love it…she turns up her nose. Then she goes nuts for salmon and asparagus much to my surprise. Oh toddlers…so fickle!!
right?! it’s the weirdest thing. and sometimes she’ll love something one day and hate it the next. always keeping us on our toes 😉
Liv looks like a mini adult in that picture! So precious!
she does! haha
That’s what I was going to come on and say LOLL
The Disney store looks magical! What a beautiful place you live in. Sounds like you’re doing a great job enjoying it. Happy almost Friday!
thank you! we’re trying to live it up because who knows when we’ll be moving… crazy! hope you have a great weekend <3
Live hair in the pic!!!!!! Gorgeous like her mommas hair! Oh received the keratese nectar therminique, u were spot on! Smells divine, I think I wanna wear as perfume, lol! And to know it’s protecting my hair from the heat when I blow dry, love:)
yay i’m so happy that you love it! sometimes i just put it in my hair when i want to smell pretty 😉
I love your pink to go cup!
i thought it was so cute, too!
You had me at “one pan” haha. That meal sounds so good.
Sometimes a Wednesday off is awesome because it feels like you get 2 Fridays that week 😀
right? the less dishes we need to wash, the better 😉
Sounds good! I make a similar dish with sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, half and half and shredded mozzarella cheese. Love these one dish meals!
that sounds awesome!
Mexican mocha!? wowowowowow I want it!! *currently googling recipes*
ahhh! let me know if you find a great recipe. the “abuelita” brand of hot chocolate is awesome for mexican mochas
omg, Mexican mocha? I’ve never heard of this but I feel like I need it in my life. Also that chicken looks delish. I’ve never thought about adding Feta to a tomato based dish like that – gotta try it!
let me know if you give it a try! 🙂
I remember The Disney Store being magical as a little kid too! It’s funny how something that can just look like a store to an adult can be the coolest thing ever to a little kid.
I love the nail color you are wearing in the top pic with the Pilot!! Please share the color and brand.
Love Livs little outfit in the Disney store. She looks like a teenager.
thank you! it’s sally hansen complete manicure commander in chic
she does! it’s funny how she’s so big and so little at the same time
Oh my gosh is that a romper Liv is wearing?! So. stinkin’. cute!
Thanks for the recipe. That looks quick and tasty for sure!
Hey!
I’ve been an avid reader for about a year and made the move from Philadelphia to Orange County, CA but absolutely adore San Diego! I try to come down there pretty frequently and would love to get coffee or something. Let me know if you would be interested!
-Erica
This recipe sounds wonderful! I don’t eat chicken legs, but wondered if boneless chicken breasts would work? I will try it and let you know! Thanks for the recipe…..always looking for something different…..especially after being married 35 years…..we seem to eat the same things!
Hi! I want to try with boneless chicken breasts.. how did yours come out? What changes did you make?
Sounds like a fantastic day, that post was so cute and uplifting! Makes me want to start lifting hehe x
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