Coconut Lime Chicken

I made this juicy chicken recipe from Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom after wanting to make it for a while now. I was afraid to because it has coconut milk and Sabrina will not eat anything with coconut or coconut flavor. So I just kept that ingredient a secret when she asked what was in it. And guess what. She loved it. We all did. Lucky for me she never reads my blog. Unfortunately, I left the serrano pepper out, but I bet it tastes great with it. I grilled the chicken instead of pan searing it.

 

Coconut Lime Chicken

1 (3 lb.) pkg. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 T. canola oil
Zest of 1 large lime
1 t. cumin
2 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
3 T. sugar
2 t. curry powder
3/4 - 1 c. canned coconut milk
Juice of 1 lime
1 serrano pepper, finely minced or cut into thin slivers, optional
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Slice chicken breasts in half, as if you were butterflying them.  Place them in a gallon zip top bag and flatten them uniformly with a meat pounder.   

In a bowl, add all of the marinade ingredients together:  oil, lime zest, cumin, soy sauce, salt, sugar, curry powder, coconut milk, lime juice, and Serrano pepper, if using.  Pour the marinade over the chicken in the zip top bag, squeeze the air out and allow to marinade at least 30 minutes, or preferably up to 2 hours in the fridge. 

After marinating, grill the chicken over moderately high heat in a pan with a bit of cooking spray or canola oil in it.  Get the pan really hot before you add the meat.  You want it to sear.  Allow to sit without moving it for several minutes on each side until just cooked.  The time will depend on the thickness of the meat.  While cooking the meat,  add the marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a full boil for at least 2-3 minutes.  This is sufficient to kill all of the bacteria in it.  Or you could double the marinade, divide in two, and just toss the part that you used for the chicken. 

Serve the chicken and a drizzle of the sauce over rice with chopped cilantro and fresh lime wedges. 

Reeni's Southwestern Potato Rounds

Oh, yummmmy! Seriously. I made these as a side dish, but they would be great for a party or just about whenever. The recipe is at Cinnamon-Spice and Everything Nice so go check out all her great recipes. I accidently bought mozzarella instead of cheddar so I used some of that and some of a Mexican blend I had. I also used fresh tomatoes and canned green chilies. I'm glad I have a little leftover because I'm having more today!

Reeni's Southwestern Potato Rounds

3 large Russett potatoes, sliced into 1/3-inch to 1/2-inch thich rounds

2 T. olive oil, divided

Salt and fresh black pepper

3 slices bacon

Topping:

2 T. diced onion

1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. corn

1/2 c. diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained

1/2 t. chili powder

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Green onions, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease 2 medium-sized baking sheets with olive oil and lay the potatoes out in a single layer. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until fork-tender 25 - 30 minutes.

 

Line a small baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Lay out the bacon and bake about 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain and crumble when cooled.

 

Meanwhile add a tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan set over medium-low heat. Add the onion, beans, corn, tomatoes and chili powder to the pan. Cook, stirring often about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.

 

When the potatoes are fork tender remove from the oven and sprinkle the tops lightly with about half the cheese. Spoon the corn mixture over the tops. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each one followed by a sprinkle of bacon.

 

Preheat the broiler with the oven rack in the center. Place the potatoes in oven until the cheese melts and gets a little toasty about 5 minutes, checking often.

 

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions, if desired.