Pineapple-Glazed Chicken Breasts

Makes 2 servings

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons frozen (thawed) pineapple juice concentrate
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz each)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 slices (1/2 inch thick) fresh pineapple, rind removed

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, mix mustard and juice concentrate; reserve 2 tablespoons. Into remaining mixture, stir garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper; set aside.
2. When grill is heated, rub chicken breast halves with oil. Place chicken on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill over medium coals; cover grill. Cook 5 minutes.
3. Add pineapple to grill; brush with rosemary mixture. Turn chicken; brush with rosemary mixture. Cover grill; cook 6 to 8 minutes longer, brushing chicken occasionally with rosemary mixture and turning chicken and pineapple once, until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear. Discard any remaining rosemary mixture.
4. Place chicken on serving plates. Spoon reserved 2 tablespoons mustard mixture over chicken. Halve or quarter pineapple slices; serve with chicken.

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Golden Sautéed Chicken

Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 oz each)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• lemon slices for garnish

1. Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper; pound to 1/4 inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat mallet. 
2. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, salt and pepper.  In a large shallow bowl, beat together eggs and water. 
3. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture, one at a time, to coat lightly on both sides.  Dip chicken in egg mixture to coat on both sides; let excess drip back into bowl. 
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to skillet, in batches if necessary, using remaining oil if needed.  Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate; keep warm. 
5. Just before chicken is done, melt remaining butter in a small skillet.  When butter begins to foam, add lemon juice; swirl to mix.  Pour lemon butter over chicken.  Garnish with lemon slices.

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Speedy Chicken Roll-Ups

Serves 4

• 4 flour tortillas or Mandarin pancakes
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (4 oz each), cut into thin strips
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp Chinese or regular mustard
• 1 tsp hot sesame oil
• 4 medium green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.  Wrap tortillas together in foil.  Place tortillas in oven to warm. 
2. While tortillas are warming, in a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken, pepper, and garlic.  Stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.  Add hoisin sauce, mustard, and sesame oil.  Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. 
3. Spoon chicken mixture evenly down center of tortillas.  Sprinkle green onions and cilantro over chicken.  Roll up tightly.  Place on plates.  Serve immediately. 

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Cashew Chicken

Serves 4

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup fresh snow peas
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long and set aside.  Blend soy sauce, broth and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. 
2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat.  Add chicken.  Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until no longer pink.  Remove from wok with slotted spoon. 
3. Add remaining oil to wok.  Add onion, garlic, cashews and snow peas and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until snow peas are crisp-tender.  Return chicken to wok.
4. Stir broth mixture to wok.  Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until sauce is clear and chicken is heated through.  Sprinkle with green onion slices.  Serve immediately. 

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Bahamas Coconut Chicken

Serves 6

• 6 bone-in chicken breasts (about 8 oz each)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, crumbled, or 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp raisins

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. 
2. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.  Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. 
3. While chicken is roasting, in a large skillet, combine coconut milk, brown sugar, basil, curry powder, soy sauce and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring for 10 minutes.  Whisk in heavy cream. 
4. Transfer chicken breasts to serving plates.  Spoon sauce over and sprinkle each serving with some raisins.

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Baked Chicken Romano

Serves 4

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (5 oz each)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen broccoli, thawed
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp butter or margarine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a large, shallow baking dish.
2. Dredge chicken in flour.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken; cook, turning once, until golden, about 10 minutes.  Stir in broth.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover; simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low.  Whisk in broth and flour; cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. 
4. Drain pan juices from chicken; combine with sauce.  Add 3/4 cup Romano; stir until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. 
5. Arrange broccoli in prepared dish; pour half of sauce on top.  Place chicken over broccoli; top with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven; sprinkle with remaining Romano.  Bake for 5 minutes longer.

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Southwest Barbecue Chicken

Makes 8 servings

• 4 chicken breasts

Rub

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Saucing

• 1 cup favorite barbecue sauce

1. If desired, place the chicken pieces in a brine of 1 cup kosher salt dissolved in 1 gallon water.  Brine the pieces about 3 hours in the refrigerator. 
2. Rinse the chicken pieces well under cold water and pat dry.  In a small bowl, combine all the rub ingredients and mix well.  Sprinkle and rub about 2 tbsp of the rub all over both sides of the chicken pieces.  Place the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Remove 20 minutes before grilling.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Oil the grates well.  Place the chicken pieces skin side down on the grill first.  Grill about 10-12 minutes, watching carefully for flare-ups, until the pieces remove easily from the grill. 
4. Turn over and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes or more for larger, thicker chicken.
5. If desired, brush the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce and continue cooking so the sauce sets in.  Remove from the grill and serve.

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