• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hip Foodie Mom
  • Home
  • About Alice
  • Recipes
    • Popular Recipes
    • Quick Meals
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Gluten Free
    • Appetizers
      • Soups
      • Salads
    • Dinner
      • Asian Food
      • Beef
      • Korean Food
      • Pork
      • Poultry
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Sushi
      • Vegetarian
    • Desserts
      • Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
      • Cupcakes
      • Ice Cream
    • Drinks / Cocktails
    • Browse All
  • Videos
    • Recipe Videos
    • YouTube Channel
  • Press
  • Work With Me
  • Family
  • Meal Planning
  • Contact

Balsamic Chicken with Spinach, Mushrooms & Couscous

June 12, 2012 by hipfoodiemom 2 Comments

Facebook
Pinterest5
Twitter
5Shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Ah, the start of my last work week! (yes, you read that correctly) Last work week before I become President & CEO of HipFoodieMom, Inc. 😛 (aka SAHM; stay-at-home-mom). This week isn’t the easy, relaxing last week I was envisioning. . it never is. So, anyway, my Monday started with me waking up at 6:30am (I slept in) and immediately pouring my BIG cup of coffee and going straight to my laptop to check email. My clients are on the east coast so I usually have a good number of emails by this time. . so I answer several emails (I probably receive and send 100-200+ emails a day; no joke.), jump on a few conference calls and then we’re out the door! I had to take my daughters to a dentist appointment. Most pediatric dentists are not there M-F and they get booked extremely fast so I had been waiting for this appointment for over a month and half. I will spare you the details but let’s just say my girls probably left a lasting impression with the staff, Dr. Jimmy and the nice, kind woman who attempted to clean Phoebe’s teeth.

 

We rush home because I have another conference call I need to make, I’m on the phone and working for the next 5 hours . . (we have a nanny by the way; I’m not that bad of a mother) and I finally call it a day and tell myself not to answer anymore emails. . . they will be there tomorrow.

 

I am now super excited and appreciative to be able to stay at home – not only so I can actually be present in my kids’ lives but also so I can relax a little, spend more time with them and not have to worry about work or answering that email or making sure so and so knows what to do or has the schedule . . don’t get me wrong, this will be an adjustment for me but my oldest just turned 5 and I will get to experience kindergarten with her and homework (I think they get homework right?) and the PTA (whoa, I am so joining the PTA).

 

I run around town when doing errands in whatever I have laying around. For work, I totally get myself ready and presentable and fix my hair and stuff . . but on the weekends, when I’m running to the grocery store or whatever, I don’t really care what I look like. . I’m not going to get nominated for “What not to wear” or anything but I’m never going to be the mom who has it all together, hair & make-up perfect all the time, mom who has the perfect, always well behaved kids or the mom who can peel an apple in one long strand without breaking it. . I am the mom who cooks for their kids, cares about what they eat, plays with them, gives them a bath, reads to them every night and tells them everyday that I love them (with my messy, pulled back hair and all) and I am happy with that!

 

So, the end to this manic Monday, was dinner: simple, quick and really delicious. Balsamic chicken with spinach, mushrooms & couscous. The photos don’t do this dish justice. When you have crazy days and just want a nice, hot, home-cooked meal (in under 30 minutes), give this recipe a try!

 

Balsamic Chicken with Spinach, Mushrooms & Couscous

Print Recipe

Balsamic Chicken with Spinach, Mushrooms & Couscous

Course: Main
Servings: 4
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped (or crushed garlic); about 1 tablespoon
  • 2 -3 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
  • 8 ounces baby spinach about 8 cups lightly packed
  • 1-2 cups mushrooms; chopped I used white mushrooms
  • 1 red bell pepper; chopped optional
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can low-sodium canned chopped tomatoes with juice
  • 2 cups whole wheat couscous cooked
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Shredded parm to sprinkle on top; I had this out and totally forgot to use it optional

Instructions

  • Cook couscous: bring 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons butter and salt to a boil and add couscous. Remove from heat and cover. Leave for 5 minutes.
  • Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear.
  • Remove the chicken and set aside.
  • To the same pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the spinach, mushrooms and bell peppers and cook just until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Season with salt & pepper and remove from the pan and set aside.
  • To the same pan, add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth and canned tomatoes (feel free to chop up the tomatoes more if you don't want them too chunky) and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Serve! couscous on bottom, top with the spinach, mushroom & bell pepper mixture, add the chicken and balsamic-tomato sauce on top!
  • Sprinkle some parmesan cheese if you want & enjoy!

 

 

 

You might also like...

  • Thousand Island Dressing recipe! Homemade, chunky and so delicious, you'll never buy store bought again! We hope you try it!

    Thousand Island Dressing

  • White bean farro salad! When you need a little more than greens! Arugula, cannellini beans, farro, shallots and a oil and vinegar dressing!

    White Bean and Farro Salad

  • Sushi Bake! It's like a rich, savory and creamy deconstructed California roll. Enjoy with some nori, or by the spoonful! 

    Sushi Bake

Facebook
Pinterest5
Twitter
5Shares

Related

Filed Under: healthy, Meals, Poultry, Quick Meals Tagged With: dinner, food, home mom, pediatric dentists

Previous Post: « Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Next Post: Peanut Butter Blossoms »

Primary Sidebar

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

Meet Alice

Alice Choi from Hip Foodie MomHello! My name is Alice. Here, at Hip Foodie Mom, you will find fresh food recipes using local, seasonal ingredients. From meat dishes to vegetarian to Asian inspired dishes, you are sure to find something you like. Thank you for stopping by!

Popular Posts

Waldorf Chicken Salad! Filled with celery, apples, grapes, pecans, chicken and more! This salad is crunchy, savory and so delicious!
Instant Pot Asian Beef Short Ribs!! Fall-off-the-bone tender with extra spicy flavor in a fraction of the time! 
Viral Italian Chopped Salad and Sandwich! This is messy but it's so delicious! Super quick, filling and so good! Eat this as a salad or sandwich, up to you!
Easy Weeknight Spaghetti Squash Lasagna! Filled with ground turkey, zucchini and spinach, this is a delicious and healthy meal to make!
Pizza Sandwiches! So delicious to make if you have leftover pizza dough or store bought pizza dough! So great with pesto and arugula!
Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake recipe from NY Times Cooking. I made some modifications and have to share this recipe! It's so delicious and quite addicting!



Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Hip Foodie Mom. All content, recipes and photographs are copyrighted to Alice Choi and are the property of Hip Foodie Mom. They may not be republished in part or whole without permission and proper credit. Contact me to seek republishing and syndication rights.

Copyright © 2025 Hip Foodie Mom on the Foodie Pro Theme

JOIN THOUSANDS OF FOOD LOVERS!!

Get a weekly newsletter with RECIPES delivered straight to your inbox for FREE!

Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party, nor will we spam your inbox.