Cooking with Leeks

One of my goals for this year is to try 2 new recipes a week. Within the realm of that goal, I really want to experiment with different foods and techniques that I haven't tried yet:
- baking bread
- roasts, like chicken, beef, and turkey
- fish
- different quiche styles
- using veggies in main dishes like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, okra, and leeks
- experimenting with different cultural flavors, like Latino and Indian

I have never cooked with leeks before, and when I saw this recipe I decided it was time to try them. I had no idea what they even tasted like (I've probably had them before and just never knew it). Found out they are similar to an onion - more like a giant green onion with a delicate unique flavoring. I was so excited when Michael took a bite of my experimental dish and actually liked it! He'll be honest with me about recipes, and with this one he said multiple times that he liked it (wife points!). So I will definitely be trying leeks out more in the future.

Chicken with Leeks & Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 or 2 leeks, white and light green parts only

16 oz chicken breast cutlets, sliced thin (I used just 2 large breasts and sliced through them to make them thin)
2 tsp butter, divided
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz. ready-to-eat sun dried tomatoes
1/4 c. white wine
1/2 c. fat-free low sodium chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

a little weird looking, right?

Cut off green tops of leek and remove outer tough leaves. Cut off root and cut leeks in half lengthwise.

Fan out the leeks and rinse well under running water, leaving them intact. Slice leeks into 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp. butter and 1 tsp. olive oil. Add chicken to skillet and cook on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until no longer pink. Set aside in warm oven.

Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds, then add leeks, salt, and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add sun dried tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, parsley. Stir the pan, breaking up any brown bits in the bottom. Cook 2 more minutes or until the liquid reduces to almost half. Top the chicken with the leeks & sun-dried tomatoes and serve!

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Source: Skinny Taste

In case you were wondering, I chose this chicken broth because of the low sodium. There are other brands that say "low sodium," but when I read the label this was significantly lower than all the others. I am always looking for ways to cut out the salt (since so much food out there is high in sodium) and this one was the best option! And that wine you see in the background is Simply Naked Pinot Grigio - one of my favorites!