By Carol M. Bareuther, RD

If you think one-pot cooking is the exclusive domain of college kids and bachelors, think again. Cooking up a complete meal in a single pot is a great way to put dinner on the table when mobility is limited and the easy clean-up offers another significant benefit.

Mobility in the Kitchen

Stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis are just a few of the causes of limited mobility. Being unable to get around easily in the kitchen to the point of losing the ability to prepare meals is a major fear, especially for women, according to a study conducted in Sweden in 2003. Researchers asked study participants the strategies they used to remain independent in the face of disease-diminished abilities, and adaptation was one of the methods. Adapting the kitchen environment to reduce the amount of necessary movement and finding recipes that can be prepared in one easily accessible space is ideal. One-pot cooking fills that bill.

The Recipe

Chicken cacciatore is an Italian-American dish whose name literally translates to chicken prepared “hunter’s style,” according to John Mariani in his book, The Dictionary of American Food and Drink. The hunter’s style dates back to the 1500s when well-to-do Italian landowners would enjoy the sport of hunting and then simmering a stew of their freshly caught game meat afterward. Early recipes used rabbit rather than chicken. Though this dish has taken on many variations through the centuries, tomatoes and mushrooms, as well as seasonings such as oregano and garlic, are staples today.

Cooking Tips

1. Set up the work station. Gather all the necessary utensils before beginning to cook. To prepare this recipe, assemble a 3-quart saucepan, long-handled slotted spoon, small cutting board, sharp knife, and a pot holder. Keep a dish towel handy for wiping up spills and splatters. Set a tall stool next to the stove to sit comfortably while cooking. For entertainment during the simmering time, it may be a good idea to get a magazine to read or crossword puzzle to work.

2. Gather ingredients. Use a tray with sides to gather up and hold all the ingredients. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and broccoli out of the freezer. From the pantry, collect the oil, pasta, pasta sauce, seasonings, and jarred mushrooms.

3. Burn free. There’s no need to lift and carry a hot pot of boiling water and pasta from stove to sink to drain. Instead, this recipe calls for the pasta to cook right in the pasta sauce and water. Some say this gives the sauce a starchier texture, but others like the thicker texture of the sauce. There’s no need to buy a special type of pasta for this technique.

4. Everything in one. The joy of a one-pot meal is that the single pot includes everything to make a full meal—chicken, pasta, and vegetables. This means no second or third saucepan, baking dish, or microwave bowl for the entrée’s accompaniments.

5. Less cutting. Limited mobility can mean limited dexterity, too. This makes cutting, chopping, and can opening difficult. Vegetables in a twist-top jar and precut frozen vegetables allow for the use of these healthful ingredients without the need for extra handiwork. Endless variations are possible with this recipe. Try swapping the broccoli for frozen mixed vegetables or chopped spinach, or try a medley of chopped broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Or you can also use whole jarred button mushrooms instead of sliced.

— Carol M. Bareuther, RD, is a St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands-based writer who contributes to a variety of regional, national, and international publications.

One-Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Recipe by Carol M. Bareuther, RD

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 16-ounce box spiral or rotini pasta, uncooked
1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce*
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of black pepper
1 8-ounce jar sliced mushrooms
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Add pasta, pasta sauce, water, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Add mushrooms and broccoli florets. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until all ingredients are hot. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Nutrition per serving: 511 calories, 12 gms fat, 59 gms carbohydrates, 17 mg cholesterol, 1,139 mg sodium (471 mg sodium when using low-sodium pasta sauce), and 8 gms dietary fiber.

* Using low-sodium pasta sauce reduces the sodium content per serving by more than half.