Let's Cook, Video, My Italian Chicken Skillet Together!

Real food comes from the earth, and in its healthiest form, it almost always requires some preparation. It doesn’t have to take hours. Preparing your own food is a way to take care of yourself and keep your metabolism fired up or wake it up if it has slowed down.

I spent an afternoon preparing one of my favorite dishes—my Italian Chicken Skillet—so that you could feel like we are in the kitchen together. Whether you’re nervous about cooking or you feel really confident, it doesn’t really matter as long as you embrace that you’re doing something really good for yourself, your family, or your loved ones. 

I like to start by printing out my recipe. I feel like if I can touch it, it’s easier for me to refer back and forth to it. I also set my sink up ahead of time with things I’m going to need, like:

Visually I don’t like all this sitting on my counter all the time, I keep my soap and my hand lotion, but before I cook a big meal, I just kind of throw all this on my counter because it’s easy for me and I’m not having to dig through to find things. 

When it comes to washing vegetables, people might say, “oh, it’s organic… you don’t need to wash it.” But there are bacteria, potentially parasites, funguses and yeast on the surface that can flourish on organic foods, so you want to make sure it’s healthy and safe for you to consume. 

I like to cut a sponge in quarters so I can use it to scrub my fruits and vegetables, and then they pop in the dishwasher really easily to sanitize them. 

This recipe is so easy to make. Watch and find out why I cried so much while making it! :)

I usually use a cutting board with raised edges to cut meats. (Not to gross you out, but it helps keep the juices from sliding off onto your counter.) I also like to use a smaller cutting board for meats, so I can pop it in my dishwasher. 

One tip I got from a chef friend of mine is that a dull knife is a dangerous knife. So my son is really good about keeping our knives sharp. 

After you scoop out your squash seeds, you can even rinse and roast them with a little sea salt for a healthy snack—just like you might do with a pumpkin or other squash. They’re amazing for the immune system and high in zinc, too!

Since everyone has different tastes and preferences, don’t hesitate to vamp it up a bit after you’ve made this once or twice. I love to use Grind to a Salt. I’m big on seasoning to towards the end of my meal as well, so you don’t lose the nutrient value. 

This recipe has lots of basil, which actually helps neutralize the acidity of tomatoes for people with sensitivities. Did you know that adding celery to a Bloody Mary buffer the acidity of the pH? That’s helpful in case a Bloody Mary should ever fall into your mouth. :) 

Can there ever be too much garlic? You can use the garlic that’s already minced, but I just want you to be really careful where you purchase it from. I have concerns about the bulk of minced garlic manufactured in other countries with the way they’re peeled and the chemicals they use. 

Your food doesn’t have to be Bon-Appetit Beautiful… it can just be beautifully delicious! Just have confidence in yourself.

 

*Here is the recipe for you to use to buy your ingredients and follow along with in my cooking class! 

 

Italian Chicken Skillet

Fast Metabolism Cleanse (Days 1-3, Days 8-10), Phase 3 | Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes 

INGREDIENTS 

1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 lbs)
Sea salt and black pepper
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup plus ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
3 small zucchini, diced
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
12 ounces chopped roasted chicken breast
½ cup pine nuts (Days 8-10, P3) 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 450℉. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out and discard the seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side-down on lined baking sheet and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Once cool enough, scoop the tender 'noodles' out of the skins with a fork and set aside in a bowl.

  2. Meanwhile, place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and their juice, onion, garlic, and ¼ cup of the chopped fresh basil. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chopped zucchini, Italian herbs, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.

  3. Add the roasted chicken and tender spaghetti squash. Mix well and cook for 4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and garnish with the remaining ¼ cup chopped fresh basil. Serve and enjoy! (For Days 8-10, sprinkle the pine nuts on top for healthy fat.) Phase 3 add additional healthy fat (2 servings).

 

Have questions? Looking for more incredible recipe videos and tips for your kitchen? Enjoy this FREE 30-day pass to my private member community. Use JOINMEFREE at sign up!

Categories
GETTING STARTED BREAKING A PLATEAU FAST METABOLISM DIET METABOLISM REVOLUTION METABOLISM PRODUCTS METABOLISM LIFESTYLE PRESS