Spiced Honey Lemon Chicken

Courtesy of Mindy Carlson

2 full chicken breast pounded to an even thickness
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
4 tsp. olive oil
1 tbls. butter, melted
3 tbls. honey
zest and juice of 1 lemon (or 1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika

1. Combined all of your ingredients in a small bowl or ziplock. Pour over chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge, but you can marinate the chicken for 24 hours, and longer is better!

2. You can either grill or broil the chicken. To grill, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill over high heat for 3 minutes on each side, then over indirect heat for 5 minutes on eat side. To broil, heat the over to 400 degrees and cook for 10-15 minutes on each side, until cooked through and the juices run clear.

Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

1 tsp. vegetable oil
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
4 (4-ounce) skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves (or with seeds if you don't mind)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot.

Add onion; saute 5 minutes.

Combine thyme and 1/4 tsp. salt; sprinkle over chicken. Add chicken to skillet; saute 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper, stirring until the preserves melt.

Spoon raspberry sauce over chicken. (4 servings)

I took this recipe from Cooking Light Jan/Feb 1998 issue. I still use it all the time and now I don't even refer to the recipe. (There is a funny story about that too)

You can serve this with brown rice, rice pilaf, cous cous, and any yummy vegi like broccoli, or asparagus.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Coconut Sauce

1 cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for grates
4 boneless chicken breast halves
2 jalapeno chiles
1 tablespoon lime juice
cooked white or brown rice (optional)
lime wedges (optional)

1. In a small saucepan bring coconut milk to a gentle simmer, cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat grill to high; oil grates. Rub chicken all over with oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken and jalapenos on grill, cover. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and jalapenos are blackened all over. 12 to 16 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to a platter,; keep warm. Peel jalapenos (see notes below) transfer to a blender. Add reduced coconut milk, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend on high speed until smooth.

4. Slice chicken crosswise into four or five pieces, and place on plates; spoon coconut sauce over the top. Serve with rice and lime wedges. I like the sauce on the rice too!

Major hint: This can all be done in house and not on the grill. If you have a gas stove you can blacken jalapeno over the flame like a marshmello. When you peel the jalapeno use disposable gloves, the oil from them can really be a pain and get in your eyes if you're not careful. I love it with the peppers but this can be made without the pepper if you'd like.

Peeling Jalapenos: Rub off blackened skin with a paper towel, or scrape off with a dull edge of a paring knife. Remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired.

Sauce can be made up to two days in advance. Refrigerate, and warm on stove. Do not boil.