There’s nothing that says ‘comfort’ like a warm skillet and when it comes to flavor, color and texture, this hits on all cylinders.
My Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet from my book, Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive, combines protein (you can swap a plant-based sausage like LightLife or Beyond Meat, or do tempeh), slow burning superfoods grain and veggies to the table in a meal that satisfies and literally brings itself together in the oven. The grain cooks perfectly in the oven because there’s plenty of liquid to drink up. A great family meal when it gets coupled with a fresh salad and maybe an extra scoop of spelt.
PRO-TIP: If you can’t find spelt, long grain brown rice is a good swap.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THE MEAT AND MEATLESS OPTIONS BELOW
Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet (with a vegan swap)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons raw coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken sausage, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks, casings removed
- 1 cup uncooked spelt
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced stemmed cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with their juices
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Plant-Based Alternatives:
- 2 packs Lightlife Smart Dogs, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Gluten-Free Alternative:
- 1 cup brown rice
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 400°.
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In a heavy cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and chili powder, and cook until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add chicken sausage or Lightlife Smart Dogs and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until browned.
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Add spelt* or brown rice and chicken or vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes.
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Add bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes with their juices, and oregano. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 1 hour, or until vegetables and spelt are tender and liquid is absorbed. Spoon skillet mixture into a bowl and taste the goodness.
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*Soak spelt overnight to reduce the lectins and allow for a faster cook time.
NOTES
Excerpted from Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive. Copyright © 2019 by Mareya Ibrahim and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Griffin.