Baked Chicken with Spinach & Artichokes

I'm a big believer in colorful food being in some way healthier and just better/more well rounded - the more colors on my plate or in my bowl the happier I am with a meal as a whole (this is key in my Thanksgiving menu prep as well - texture is also important). I once got plate of chicken fried steak served to me at a restaurant and was so turned off by how beige everything on my plate was that I almost couldn't eat it. I must, however, stress the almost because I still inhaled half the plate because... CHICKEN FRIED STEAK Y'ALL. 

So obviously, based on the photo above, this recipe was incredibly appealing to me because it's just so gorgeously colorful. It also helps that the flavors are rich and delicious while also being pretty healthy too (a girl has to balance out the chicken fried steak somehow amiright?). I also made this dish while my friend Molly and I were at my apartment watching Game 7 of the World Series - so you know it was easy enough to prepare that it didn't require my undivided attention. It's really just a great easy meal - you could serve it over rice perhaps but it really did fine all on its own too. 

Here's the recipe - originally found here

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 chicken pieces (thighs, chicken breast, legs, etc...) - I used four skin-on thighs but you can really throw in anything. 
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 can (14-ounces) quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 bag (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach
• ½ cup vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet 
3. Season your chicken w/ salt and pepper.
4. Add the chicken to skillet and brown on both sides; about 5 minutes on each side.
5. Remove from skillet and set it on the side, leaving oil in skillet.
6. Add artichokes, onions, carrots and garlic to the skillet.
7. Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring occasionally,
8. Add chopped garlic and spinach; continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat
10. Put the chicken pieces in a baking dish and add the vegetables and poor the broth on top of everything
11. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 18 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
12. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
13. Plate the chicken and ladle liquid and veggies over chicken pieces (throw in some rice if you want something else to absorb the liquid but you don't really need it)
14. Enjoy and watch your team win the World Series! (okay that only happened when I made this, but ya never know).