Have you seen the USDA's new food suggestions? They center around a plate, with a back-to-basics portion suggestion. 
The USDA now suggests that half of every meal be made up of fruits and vegetables. One quarter should be protein and one quarter should be grains, preferably whole grains. And the meal should be accompanied by a low fat milk or soy milk beverage. Isn't that simple? I love this concept.
The Recipe
Country Crock challenged me to overhaul one of my family's favorite meals to fit the new My Plate guidelines. Our Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms recipe is definitely one of our favorites; we eat it several times every month. Here's how we updated it:
Our Thoughts
I think this version of Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms is even better than the original. Joe thought so, too. Allie will eat anything that's on my plate, so she agrees, too. Grace, on the other hand, is not enthused. She announced - before she saw her plate - that she didn't like it. I'm not sure when she became so picky. Alas, she doesn't like mushrooms. She doesn't like onions. She doesn't like cabbage or green peppers. We're working on that. She does like linguine, especially if it's topped with a little butter. She also enjoyed the glass of milk that accompanied the meal. On the other hand, a glass of milk accompanies every single meal Grace eats, so that was not unusual.
Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms & Cabbage
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon or spicy mustard we used Beer N Brat brand horseradish mustard
- 3-4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 pound chicken breast (4 4-ounce pieces, pressed thin*), uncooked
- 2 cup mushrooms halved or sliced
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 green peppers membranes and seeds removed, chopped
- 1 small hot pepper membranes and seeds removed, chopped (optional)
- 1 medium head of cabbage
- ⅓ cup canned chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound whole wheat linguine
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.
- In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, mustard, and garlic.
- Add chicken and turn to coat.
- Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet.
- Saute chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.
- Prepare linguine according to package directions.
- Melt remaining teaspoon of butter in the same skillet.
- Saute onions and peppers for a few minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Add the cabbage and saute for one minute.
- Add mushrooms and saute for an additional minute.
- Add broth, thyme, and remaining 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes.
- To serve, place a small chicken breast (or a half of a breast) on the plate. Add an equal amount of whole wheat linguine. Top the linguine with veggies, and spoon some of the balsamic sauce (now called a reduction because you cooked some of the water out of it) over the chicken, noodles, and vegetables.
Leah Walker says
I'm in the process of working on my family with the veggie eating so we're not quite ready for this yet. LOl. I'm still hiding things at this point. I'm hoping to soon be able to break the news that they've been eating them all along and liked them, then we'll give it a shot for sure.
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
Leah Walker says
Tweeted.
http://twitter.com/#!/lewalk76/status/118167169119961089
nan says
DID NOT TRY IT , BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW SWEET THE BASALMIC VINEGAR MADE THE CHICKEN
nannypanpan at gmail.com
Dee says
This recipe sounds healthy yet super delicious. I will definitely be trying it - just copied it and emailed it to myself 🙂
Dee says
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/DeeGee13/status/118553981667651584
Sarah L says
I like all the ingredients except for the pepper. I'll just make it without that and I'm sure it will be delicious.
Thanks for the contest.
Sarah L says
blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-100-cookingcom-gc-from-blogher.html
ACMommy3 says
Love the chicken w/ the cabbage & pasta...but would add more colorful veggies or change things around a bit to make it look more appealing to the eye. 🙂 creedamy [at] yahoo[dot] com
Yvonne H. says
The recipe looks nice & flavorful. I'm not a fan of mushrooms so I might have to try the recipe with them.
Maria says
I would love this recipe because I love cabbage.
angie says
I think this recipe sounds wonderful! I have not tried it, but will I know. I will only have to substitute tofu or seitan for the chicken and the chicken broth with veggie broth since we are vegetarians. yummers!
angie says
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/119434775097380864
Judith says
Neve had picky kids but Mom... Not fond of mushrooms so i will pass on this recipe.
Judith says
Blog http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2011/09/country-crock-makes-veggies-more.html
Sandra Brower says
I have been looking for a new/good way to use cabbage in my recipes. This is terrific. I admit I tweaked the spices a bit but it turned out beautifully. So far yours is the best tasting recipe I have tried for this giveaway. Thanks! 🙂
Sandra Brower says
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Allhoneyhere/status/119572688791552000
shel says
Your recipe looks so yummy! I'm sure I'm the only one that would eat it though...my family is not a fan of cabbage or mushrooms which makes me question whether they are of my loins.
shel says
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/auntiethesis/status/119661886315831296
Mari says
The recipe looks like a dish we'd enjoy. Healthier fare does not necessitate sacrificing taste.
Mari says
http://twitter.com/#!/LuckyDuckyToo/status/119875269489197056
Donna B. says
Love this recipe! I can't wait to try it – it'll definitely be on the menu next week. Thanks for sharing it 🙂
sustahl says
I can tell you that there is no way my family would eat that recipe... not because it isn't good, but because of the mushrooms. I am sure I could just substitute another veggie like broccoli and it would go over much better.
sustahl says
I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/rsmstahley/status/120283080404643840