Rustic Chicken

I’m just warning you now, I’ll probably be sharing quite a few chicken recipes this month. It’s been on sale at both of my regular grocery stores a lot lately, so it’s been on our menu frequently. But if any of you are anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for new and different chicken recipes, so hopefully I’ll post a poultry-centric dish this month that catches your eye.

Take this “rustic chicken,” for instance. It’s aptly named, I think, because it does look pretty rustic once it’s prepared. In the words of Joe, “Wow, this tastes so much better than it looks!” Oh, my silly husband.

It really does, though. With mushrooms, artichokes, bacon, and stuffed olives, this dish has such earthy, complex flavor. It comes together quickly, and it’s hearty and delicious. I served ours over spaghetti noodles tossed with a bit of butter and some parmesan cheese, and although Andrew seemed to mostly only eat the noodles, I’m going to go ahead and say that my whole family loved this!

Rustic Chicken
adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking

6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup stuffed green olives

1. Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.

2. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onions. Cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Push the mushrooms and onions to the side and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken browns, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium.

3. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Serve over pasta.