Baked Chicken with Goat Cheese + A Happy Chic Peek

JCP_Platter_02

Although I’m not much of a cook (John took over that role after we moved in together – by choice, I might add!), I had a hankering to recreate one of my favorite dishes out. Juicy, moist chicken, served over couscous and topped with a gooey, goat cheese, tomato and spinach mixture. De-licious. Luckily, the dish was pretty simple to whip up on my own, so I thought I’d share the recipe.

JCP_Platter_09

JCP_Platter_04

Despite the fact that this meal was just for John and me, I couldn’t help but dress it up a bit, and my hand immediately went for my Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler serving platter (snagged on sale from JCPenney!). That pattern is just too good to be true and, happily, goes well with the rest of our white dishes. Test this dish out for yourself using the simple, practically fool-proof recipe below.

Baked Chicken with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes & Spinach

Ingredients:
Package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 cups of spinach
1/2 cup of crumbled goat cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
Box of couscous
Italian seasoning, to taste
.
Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan on medium heat. When sizzling, add the garlic and chicken, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Allow to cook through and brown on both sides, then remove to a plate. Turn the heat down to medium/low and add the spinach and tomatoes. Stir frequently and, when the spinach is wilted, add the goat cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package instructions. Spoon on to your serving platter. Add the chicken over the couscous and then spoon the spinach, tomato and cheese mixture on top. Enjoy!

This post is a collaboration with JCPenney. All ideas, words and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create fresh, authentic content like this on Dream Green DIY!

Slimmed Down Entry

DIY_Entry13

Our house doesn’t technically have an entryway, but we sort of carved one out by strategically placing a mini buffet table just inside the front door. At 12 inches deep, it never seemed to take up much room in the hallway, which leads to the kitchen – that is, it never seemed to take up much room, until I decided one random day this past week to ditch it altogether.

IMG_7484

The initial inspiration struck following a quick morning viewing of Sarah Richardson’s 10-part Webinar on YouTube (a must watch if you haven’t checked it out yet). In it, she dissected an entryway that she had put together using nothing but inexpensive pieces from a big box hardware store. Before the video had even ended, I was jotting down a supply list. Want to tackle one, too? Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Wood for your shelf (I went with a 1x8x46 inch piece of pine board)
  • 2 shelf brackets
  • 3 coat hooks
  • Screws (if your brackets don’t come with them)
  • Primer
  • White paint
  • Gold spray paint (optional)
  • Measuring tape
  • Level

After getting my supplies home, I immediately laid out a drop cloth and got to painting. The board went white and the brackets and hooks went gold since they came in a brushed nickel finish that I didn’t love. Once the paint was dry, I attached the brackets to the underside of the board using the hardware that came with them.

DIY_Entry03

Next, I grabbed my level and measuring tape and made marks on the wall for my screws with a pencil. I wasn’t scientific about my placement other than making sure it was taller than our heads – we didn’t want any accidental eye injuries mid-jog to the kitchen. Cause…ya know…We do that a lot. Emergency chocolate craving, anyone??

A couple of hooks in that same matching gold paint beneath our new-to-us DIYed shelf completed the newly functional, newly slimmed down entryway set up.

DIY_Entry05

DIY_Entry12

DIY_Entry04

Although I wasn’t able to take a super wide shot for this project because of another yet-to-be-shared major project going on within eye sight of this one, the difference after getting rid of that extra table is beyond M-A-J-O-R.

Speaking of which, if any locals are interested in buying the table, it’s up for grabs! Before I list it on Craigslist, I’m giving you guys first dibs. Shoot me an email if interested! dreamgreendiy {at} gmail {dot} com.

Now do yourself a favor and lose yourself in Sarah’s YouTube channel.

getsocial
have yousubscribed?
Everybody's doin' it.