Weeknight Meals: Rosemary Chicken Breasts, w/Brown Butter & Balsamic Ravioli, Warm Spinach Salad w/Pancetta And Sweet Vinaigrette

I was on the fence about trying out this recipe on a weeknight because at first glance I was convinced that it would take me all night to complete. After seeing that it was a 30 minute recipe, I promptly hit the print button and took to my cupboard to make sure I had all the necessary ingredients.

If you have never had a recipe that utilizes the yummy, savory goodness that is brown butter, I suggest you try this one for starters! The recipe was simple, and delicious. If you have kids, they will [may] love the Sweet Vinaigrette Dressing on the Spinach Salad, if your man/woman was undecided about marriage, they may put a ring on it after finishing this dish. I'm usually not one for making "ooh-ahh" noises while I eat, but I had a few of those moments last night [don't judge me]. Yup, it was that good.

Rosemary Chicken Breasts, Brown Butter & Balsamic Ravioli, Warm Spinach Salad With Pancetta And Sweet Vinaigrette - Recipe Courtesy of Rachel Ray

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it, just enough to coat chicken lightly
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife

Ravioli:

• 1 package, 12 to 16 ounces, fresh ravioli, any flavor filling
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls

Spinach

• 6 slices pancetta, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
• 1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown.

Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter. In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain and return pan to heat, reducing heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots saute 2 minutes.

When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup like. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

To the sauteed shallots for the spinach salad, add sugar and cook sugar with shallots 1 minute. Add vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add spinach to the dressing and turn to wilt and coat it evenly in sweet vinaigrette. Add crisp pancetta to the salad.
Serve chicken along side ravioli and spinach salad, all on the same dinner plate.

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