Who loves the idea of using ONE skillet to create a healthy, well balanced meal?

You can’t see, but my hand is raised high.

Among other peeves from clients, I often hear “I don’t like to cook because of the mess it makes.”

There are ways around this. Making a one skillet meals is one of those ways. This sort of recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinners with the added bonus of minimal cleanup. If you are a household of one or two, this could be eaten for more multiple meals.

 

What kind of goods are packed into this skillet?

• Chicken thighs – I like chicken. As a non-vegetarian, it is my favorite protein. It is easy to season, goes well in or alongside a variety of dishes and it doesn’t smell if I chose to take it on the road. I used to only eat chicken breasts, but the thighs are so much tastier. The thighs only have a slightly more fat and calories, however, they pack in more flavor and iron.
• Barley – While it is NOT gluten-free, barley is an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Barley is also a good source of selenium, which helps improve skin elasticity and can also benefit our heart, pancreas and immune system functioning.
• Butternut Squash – This winter squash is rich in its concentration of nutrients. It is also known for helping regulate blood pressure due to its high potassium content and due to the high amount of dietary fiber it contains, butternut squash is also a great digestive aid. While not considered spring produce, living here in sunny California, it tends to be available year-round.

There are a few other excellent whole foods based items included in this dish. Adding tomatoes and fresh cilantro at the end gives it a nice pop of color that will get a few “oohs” and “aaahs” as you set it down on the table.