Living Well In Yalobusha County
Moist Chicken Dishes Offered
By Pamela Redwine
Have you ever craved a tender, juicy chicken breast only to get a dried out, tough one instead? According to Communicating Food For Health, “Most of the time when you cook or eat chicken breast the results are not so juicy – they are often dry, but there is a way to have a more delicious bird and in less time, too. Here is how – start the chicken breast in the microwave for three minutes and then finish baking in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It is good if you add a little lemon juice or broth and some seasonings. You can also do this with fish. Fish and chicken do not require long cooking to make them tender – so the microwave works well for these. Be sure to cook until done but not “overdone.”
Parsley Chicken Breast with Red Potatoes and Salad
Potatoes:
4 medium-sized red potatoes
1 onion
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Dash paprika
Dash garlic powder
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh-chopped parsley
Salad:
Large tossed salad
Flavored vinegar
Slice potatoes and onion and mix together with pepper and olive oil in a large glass dish; cover with plastic wrap. Place chicken breasts a few inches apart in a large glass baking dish. Top each with paprika, garlic, lemon and parsley. Bake covered for 3 minutes in the microwave and then finish for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. When the chicken goes in the oven, place the potatoes in the microwave and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Serve the chicken and the potatoes immediately with a tossed salad.
Serves 4
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
16 oz ground chicken breast
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt added pinto beans, drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 limes, cut in wedges
Place the chicken breast, onion, pepper, garlic, tomato paste, seasonings, tomatoes, beans and sugar in a crockpot on high heat. Cover and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir well and serve over brown rice. Top each portion with cilantro, green onions and a wedge of lime.
Note: this chili is also delicious served over potatoes or in a burrito or plain by itself in a bowl. The cilantro, green onion and lime juice add a lot of flavor to this well seasoned dish.
