Cowboy Skillet Chicken

The super cold weather has set in, leaving me drinking hot chocolate with a fire going as I write this post. Sure I love to snuggle with a blanket and have a fire going, but isn't this a bit too cold? I mean -11, seriously Madison, WI? This cold weather has got me thinking about the warm summer months where the best part of the week is the Farmer's Market! I had first made this recipe over the summer with green beans and fingerling potatoes from the Madison farmer's market. Ok, fingerling potatoes are my absolute favorite. They're so cute and so tasty!  

Besides being able to use farmer's market fresh goods, this recipe is perfect for the I-only-want-to-make-one-thing-for-dinner meal. It's all in one skillet and it's hearty ingredients make a well-rounded dish! I called it Cowboy Skillet Chicken because it reminded me of what a cowboy might cook over a fire. Well and because the cook book I got it from had a three lined title just explaining the ingredients. Boring. Although...looking at my pictures, I must be a very sophisticated cowboy. There's no fire or spurs or rustic anything. But trust me, this recipe is great for the cowboys or the city dwellers. It's so good.

Enjoy!
Brittany


Adapted from one of my favs, The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook
(and I hear there's a second edition!!)

Ingredients
1 lb. fingerling potatoes
8 oz. green beans, ends removed
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken breasts
1 c. chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
12 oz. andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1/2 c. chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Boil the potatoes in a pot until tender
2. At the same time, add green beans to a pot with boiling water. Cook until they start to soften, about 3-5 minutes
3. Drain the potatoes and beans and set aside.
4. Warm a large 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside on a platter.
6. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic, stir occasionally.
7. Add in the sausage and cook for a few minutes. Add in the potatoes and green beans. Mix all together.
8. Add the chicken over the top, cut beforehand if desired.
9. Add the chicken stock and loosely cover skillet with foil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes.
10. Serve and enjoy from the skillet!