Nha Bep Vietnam, Day Nau An, Nau An Ngon, Cong Thuc Nau An, Nau An Gia Dinh

This chicken with spinach, sweet apricots and mash is ready in a flash.

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 40g dried apricots, finely chopped
• 550g Kent pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut in 1cm-thick slices
• 1 large coliban potato, peeled, cut into 1cm-thick slices
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 80g baby spinach leaves
• Olive oil spray
• 4 small (about 180g each) single chicken breast fillets
• 1 1/2 tbs bought basil pesto
• Baby spinach leaves, extra, to serve

Method

1. Place the apricot in a small heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soak. Drain.
2. Cook the pumpkin and potato in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until soft.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until soft. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Add the apricot to the spinach mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Use a small sharp knife to cut a horizontal slit in the thickest part of each chicken breast to create a pocket. Divide the apricot mixture evenly among pockets. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray to grease. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Thickly slice.
6. Drain the pumpkin mixture and return to the pan. Place over medium heat and stir to remove excess moisture. Mash until smooth. Stir in the pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Divide the mash among serving plates. Top with the chicken. Serve with spinach.

Notes & tips

• Variations

• Herb-crumbed chicken with crushed carrots: Omit the apricots, potato and shallots. Replace the pumpkin with 650g carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped. Replace the pesto with 3 tsp honey. Place 75g (3/4 cup) dry stuffing mix on a plate. Add the chicken and press to coat both sides. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. In step 6, coarsely mash the carrot mixture and add 2 tsp butter with the honey.
• Sun-dried tomato pork with parmesan mash: Omit pumpkin, spinach and pesto. Replace apricots with 40g semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped. Replace the chicken with 4 pork neck steaks. Increase potato to 5 medium coliban potatoes. Omit step 1. Place the pork between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to gently pound until 5mm thick. Spoon the semi-dried tomato mixture over pork. Sprinkle with 55g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated mozzarella. Fold pork in half to enclose filling. Use toothpicks to secure. In step 6, add 30g (1/3 cup) shredded parmesan, 2 tbs light sour cream and 4-5 tbs low-fat milk to the mash. Stir to combine.
• Fish with creamy sweet potato salad: Omit the apricots, potato and pesto. Replace the pumpkin with 650g orange sweet potato (kumara), peeled, cut into 2cm pieces. Replace the chicken with 4 firm white fish fillets (such as ling or perch). Add 1 garlic clove, crushed, with the spinach in step 3. In step 6, set the sweet potato aside to cool slightly (do not mash). Whisk together 65g (1/4 cup) 97% fat-free mayonnaise, 2 tbs light sour cream, 1 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley and a little water in a bowl. Add to the sweet potato and gently stir until just combined. Serve the sweet potato salad with the fish and spinach.