Knorr One Skillet Meals: Lemon Chicken with Barley Meal Starter

Disclosure: Post sponsored by Mirum but all opinions are 100% my own.

By Guest Contributor Jodi McCormack

What to make for dinner is always a big question, right? I frequently look for something that is healthy and that my family will really enjoy. Knorr, a brand that I have used for a long time, has a new variety of meal starters that can help home cooks to get creative in the kitchen. Which is a great thing, right? Their new meal starts turn wholesome ingredients into tasty meals we can feel good about eating—and feeding our families. When The Mama Maven reached out to me and asked me to see how delicious and easy Knorr One Skillet Meals in Lemon Chicken with Barley Meal Starters are to make and that they were available at Wegmans, I jumped at the chance. She didn’t live near a Wegmans and knew that I did.

I was pleased to hear that each Knorr One Skillet Meal features organically and sustainably sourced grains (at least 1/2 cup of vegetables per serving) and is high in protein (just add the recommended protein and veggies for a meal that is packed with flavor). Shopping at Wegmans was the icing on the cake since that store is heaven on earth! I was slightly concerned that finding the Knorr One Skillet Meals would be a challenge since Wegmans is HUGE, but it was surprisingly simple. Knorr One Skillet Meals: Lemon Chicken with Barley Meal Starter.Knorr One Skillet Meals: Lemon Chicken with Barley Meal Starter – Perfect for Family Dinners!!

I discovered the aisle almost immediately and was excited to spot the product on the shelf. There were several more Knorr One Skillet Meal Starters on the shelves, featuring grains like barley, farro, quinoa & whole couscous. You just add chicken, beef or even shrimp as well as fresh vegetables to create a flavorful and delicious dish for your family.

Then I shopped for the remaining ingredients: chicken, carrots, and spinach (I had plenty of flour and olive oil at home) and that’s it!

It seriously could not have been easier. My biggest decision was figuring out if I should use baby carrots, bagged carrots or an organic bunch of carrots. I decided on organic carrots because they looked so good. Now it was time to check out, get home and start cooking! I was going to make Lemon Chicken with Barley for dinner!

I broke out the nesting bowls and got all of my ingredients together before starting to cook. I was fortunate enough to have my trusty ten-year-old son as my sous chef (I find that when I let my picky eater help prepare a meal, he’s more likely to try it). We read the instructions together and started measuring, pouring and chopping…it was an incredibly simple recipe to prep!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (season with salt & pepper, if you’d like)
1 Tbsp. flour
2 cups water
1 cup sliced carrots, about 1/2-inch thick
1 package Knorr One Skillet Meals-Lemon Chicken with Barley Meal Starter
1 package (6oz.) baby spinach leaves

Chef’s Tip: Lightly flouring helps keep chicken moist during cooking

I heated up my olive oil in a 3-quart skillet…nonstick would be ideal but this one worked out great!

I then tossed the chicken with all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour would work as well).

I cooked for about 4 minutes until it was browned.

I wasn’t worried that the chicken was not cooked through since it would continue to cook in the next step. I added the water, the chopped carrots and the contents of the Knorr One Skillet Meals to the pan and brought the mixture to a boil.

I was struck by the already emerging lemon scent and how nicely the dish was coming together. I covered the skillet, lowered the temperature to medium-low and set a timer for 23 minutes (or until the barley was tender). Knorr noted (on the package) that keeping your skillet covered makes for perfectly cooked barley…so I did just that and kept myself from peeking!

Once the barley was cooked, I set my spinach on top of the mixture. Then I removed the skillet from the heat and let stand, covered for two minutes.

Once wilted, I gave the dish a stir until well blended.

Now we were ready to dig in!

We loved the lemony flavor of the chicken, the texture of the barley and I loved the fact that I was able to make a delicious and healthy meal for my family of four, in under an hour!

I didn’t really inform them that this recipe contains 3/4 cups veggies per serving and that it was high protein, high fiber, a good source of iron and a good source of potassium (sometimes a mom has to keep some things to herself).

The entire family was thrilled with the result and I was even able to get my picky eater to admit that the result was “so good”! See below for his smile.