Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Spinach and Mushrooms

These easy Balsamic Chicken Thighs is one of those super simple dishes that is shockingly delicious. With just a few simple ingredients, you get tons of flavor in a healthy, easy dish. We love it Mashed Cauliflower or some Creamy Ricotta Spaghetti Squash.

I can't even type the words to this dish without drooling. I'm not even kidding. First of all, the mere mention of any kind of vinegar and I start salivating like a dog. Well, not outwardly. (At least I have that going for me, right?) Then, thinking about those delicious, dark, hearty chicken thighs topped with spinach and mushrooms...well guys, I think I'm going to have to go back and reheat some of the leftovers and eat them while I write about it. It's that good. Be right back!

Okay, I'm back and trying not to drip sauce on my keyboard. Anyway, in addition to the deliciousness of this dish, it also helps that it can all be done in one pan. As you all know, I have always been a huge fan of one-pan meals, anything to avoid washing hundreds of dishes at the end of a meal.

Paired with the fact that this also comes together in under 30 minutes — well, let's just say it's the perfect meal for a busy weeknight. The chicken, spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes all come together for a warm and comforting dish without the extra calories you'd get if you ordered this in a restaurant.

The third best thing about it (if you're keeping track of how many great things I've been listing off) is how versatile this dish is. It goes with just about anything! I like to serve it over a bed of polenta, quinoa, couscous, or spaghetti squash, but there are tons of other options, too. Plus, the leftovers are ah-mazing (typed after I shoved in another forkful)!

Ways to Serve Balsamic Chicken Thighs

While I mentioned my favorite ways to serve this dish includes over grains, veggies, or polenta, there are a lot of other ways to round out this meal.

• Cook up a box of wild rice mix (per box instructions) or create your own. Add chicken and veggies over rice and spoon over sauce.
• Slice up some pre-made polenta or make your own. Grits would work wonderfully here too.
• White or brown rice or couscous make a nice, pillowy bed on which to layer your dinner.
• Shred the chicken and add it plus the veggies and some of the sauce (to taste) to some additional hot chicken broth. Meals-turned-soups are one of my favorite ways to change up a dish.
• Make a spaghetti squash boat. Cook your squash, shred it, and add it back to the skin (the boat). Add your chicken, veggies, and sauce and dig into this low-carb meal.
• Lay this over a bed of homemade risotto or creamy rice.

Ideas for Customizing Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Spinach and Mushrooms

What good would a recipe be if it couldn't be customized? We all have different taste preferences, after all.

• Swap out chicken for pork chops or steak.
• Instead of spinach, you could use any other hearty green like kale or collard greens.
• Mushrooms aren't everyone's favorite fungi. You could skip them or swap them out for another vegetable, chickpeas, or even cubed squash or eggplant.
• You can use white wine or red wine vinegar with this dish as well if that's what you have on hand.
• If you are using pork chops or steak, you can also add in beef broth or vegetable broth instead of chicken.
• This dish also goes great with additional spices, such as thyme, basil, rosemary, and oregano. Add one, two, three or all four (one teaspoon or a pinch of each is plenty) for a deeper, richer flavor.
• You could also use regular diced tomatoes if you don't have any that are Italian-flavored. If you still want that spice, add in your own Italian spice blend, or the above spices.

How Can I Make a Balsamic Marinade?

While this dish doesn't require the chicken to be marinated beforehand, I do love a good marinade and there's no reason this chicken couldn't marinade before you cook it. Combine the balsamic, oil, and some Italian spices to a zip top bag and then add the chicken to it. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight. Follow the instructions below, but omit adding more balsamic.

Can I Make Balsamic Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can make this in the slow cooker. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except for the spinach and mushrooms. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4. Add in the spinach and mushrooms during the last hour of cooking so they don't get too wilty.

Once it's done, you should be able to easily shred the chicken if you like, or use tongs to plate it over your chosen grain, veggie, or other accompanying side.