Chicken & Spinach with White Beans

This is the kind of Italian skillet dinner that proves healthy eating doesn’t mean boring. Bite-sized chicken breast pieces, creamy cannellini beans, fresh spinach, and a quick tomato-rosemary sauce all in one pan, ready in 30 minutes.

The build is technique-driven, not complicated. Sear the chicken first and pull it out before it overcooks; build a flavor base with celery, garlic, shallots in the same pan; simmer canned tomatoes with rosemary; thicken with a cornstarch slurry; and stir everything back together at the end. Each element gets the right amount of heat and time.

Cannellini beans (Italian white kidney beans) are creamy and mild, the right pairing for this lean preparation. Drain and rinse them well before adding; the canning liquid is salty and chalky-tasting and will throw off the dish.

Fresh spinach is the trick that elevates this above a stewy chicken-and-bean dish. It goes in last, just for 3 minutes to wilt, keeping its bright green color and tender bite. Frozen spinach turns dark and slimy here; don’t sub.

A garnish of chopped brine-cured black olives finishes the plate with briny pop that ties the Mediterranean flavors together.

Pro Tips

• Don’t overcook the chicken when initially searing; it finishes warming through in the sauce.
• Use fresh rosemary if you have it; the flavor is markedly brighter than dried.
• Reserve a few tablespoons of bean liquid as backup; helps loosen the sauce if it gets too thick.
• Season at the end after the salty olives go in.
• Pairs beautifully with crusty bread, polenta, or pasta.

Variations

• Sub kale or Swiss chard for spinach for sturdier greens.
• Use Italian sausage in place of chicken for a meatier version.
• Stir in a handful of grated parmesan at the end for richer flavor.