Chicken is consistently on the dinner menu because it's versatile. One day you can be visiting the beaches of Baja Mexico with chicken breasts flavored with lime, garlic and chile and on the next, savoring chicken dusted with cumin, cinnamon and paprika from the deserts of Morocco. These two recipes, pan seared Mediterranean chicken and Asian chicken with peanuts, will transport you to different corners of the globe without ever having your kitchen. Not only are these meals delicious, but they are quick and easy too.
Pan Seared Mediterranean Chicken
Courtesy of Swanson
1 lemon
1 1/2 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
1/3 cup thin strips sun-dried tomato (about 7 sun-dried tomatoes)
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves cut into very thin strips
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 cups hot cooked couscous or orzo
Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from the lemon. Stir the stock, tomatoes, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the shallots and garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute.
Add the stock mixture to the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the olives, capers, basil and cheese. Serve with the couscous.
Asian Chicken with Peanuts
Courtesy of Swanson
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth or Swanson® Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
2 cups broccoli florets
2 small red bell peppers, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
3 cups cooked white rice
Stir the cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, if desired, in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the broccoli, peppers and garlic and stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Stir the cornstarch mixture in the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in the peanuts and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve the chicken mixture with the rice.
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