Cranberries are back! Stuffed Chicken Breast with Apple & Cranberry Chutney

  I just love this kind of dish where you can just keep adding flavors until you get it right.  I started out with the onions, and mushrooms, then later added apples, and finally the cranberries.  They all melded to form a kind of marmalade, or chutney - really delicious.  The first time I made it, I didn't stuff the chicken and it was still yummy.  But just plain boneless chicken breast can be a little dry or dense inside, so this time I filled them with a cornbread stuffing which made the dish more festive and got rave reviews.  Here I served a wild rice mixture. And a delicious salad.....

Chicken Breast with Cornbread Stuffing ,and Apples & Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients

4 Boneless chicken breasts
1/4 flour
4 Baby Bella mushroom, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 apple, peeled & sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled (or a branch of fresh rosemary)
1/2 tsp dried sage
salt & pepper

For the stuffing:
 1 cup (leftover) corn bread or stuffing
1/4 cup sauteed onions
1/4 fresh cranberries
1/4 cup celery
1/4 corn kernels
1/4 tsp thyme
salt & pepper

Saute the onions & mushrooms together until golden. 
Mix the stuffing ingredients together.  Cut opening in the chicken breasts lengthwise without cutting all the way through.  Stuff the chicken breasts & secure them with skewers.  Then did them in the flour and coat.  Add to the onion, mushroom mixture and brown on both sides.  De-glaze with some of the chicken broth.  Add the rosemary branch (or dried rosemary) and balsamic vinegar.   Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes, covered.  (Put your chicken on right about now.) Turn the chicken and add the cranberries, & sliced apples.  At this point, uncover and let it reduce and thicken somewhat.  Adjust seasonings.  If you need to add more chicken broth, you can.  Let it simmer on a low heat while you prepare your salad - serve!

To make this meal even more fun, you could wear my Cranberry Silk slip!

"And they bought an Owl, and a useful Cart, And a pound of Rice, and a Cranberry Tart.”

Edward Lear

Orange Chicken with Pineapple

 Year of the Tiger
 

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one.  A lot of people (myself included) would like to know whether they will have better luck in 2010, the year of the Tiger.  I broke a tooth this week while eating a hamburger at one of my local restaurants, The Crooked Knife, so that is already not a great start.  However, I've done a little research and I can definitely say without a doubt that 2010 will be a good year...this has been scientifically worked out. According to Chinese Five Element Astrology Calendar, 2010 is the Year of Metal Tiger -  gold is related to Metal and money. People who like to talk about wealth will say that 2010 is a Golden Tiger year. On the other hand, in the Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) theory, the color representing metal is White.  Therefore, we also can say that 2010 is the Year of White Tiger. Uh-oh, this is where it gets tricky!  The White Tiger is connected to the symbol of jinx in China history. In that case, 2010 - year of the White Tiger - is going to be a bad year. Oy!

Either way, good luck or bad luck, we're still going to have to make dinner and this is a very nice and easy recipe for Pineapple Chicken.

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skin removed (healthier!)

Combine the 9 ingredients below and marinate the chicken for 1/2 hour:

1 small can sliced pineapple, and the juice from the can
1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tbls Sriracha hot chili pepper sauce

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tblspns  rice wine vinegar

2 tblspns balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp hot sesame oil

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 tblspn cold water

2 cups cooked white jasmine rice

Remove the chicken from the marinade (reserve it for the sauce) and put them on the hot grill - you can also bake them in the oven at 375 for 30 - 40 minutes.  Suggestion: grill with the top up so the chicken doesn't cook too quickly and burn.

Add all the marinade to a saucepan and simmer while the chicken is grilling - as it simmers down and thickens, add the pineapple pieces.

Turn the chicken and baste with a little of the sauce.

 

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli until slightly tender, and then toss in 2 tblspoons hot sesame oil - that gives it a really nice flavor!

 

Just before serving, mix the cornstarch with the water and add to the sauce - whisk together until blended and thickened to a nice syrup.  Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking!

Serve with steamy white jasmine rice!

 

"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable"