Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Peachy Chicken

By now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve started the switch from your summer dishes to your winter recipes. You know what I mean, the lighter summer fare using ingredients found more easily in the warm weather months have gone into hibernation and the heavier, more substantial meals are moving to the front of the recipe file. I know this is true at my house.

But I also have those nights when I do want something a little lighter and, quite honestly, something that reminds me of summer. I guess I’m not willing to totally give up those summer meals because I crave something fruity and flavorful but substantial enough for a cool weather evening meal.

When I was asked if I’d like to develop a recipe for submission to Plated, this is the exact kind of recipe I wanted to create. Plated provides a service where you pick your meals from their current offerings, they bring responsibly sourced, nutritious ingredients to your home, and you put dinner on the table.

There were parameters for the recipe and I did find that challenging, especially the time constraint:
*Recipe must include chicken breasts or thighs.
*Recipe can only have 10 – 12 ingredients.
*Recipe can only require use of basic cooking equipment.
*Recipe can be made in 30 minutes, including prep time.

I love the flavor of foods cooked on the grill and I’ve been known to send my husband out to the deck to shovel a path to my grill for me in the winter. But what’s great about this recipe is that it’s just as easily done in the warmth of the house using your broiler.

For this recipe I’m using boneless skinless chicken breasts. I cut them into cubes and put them into a freezer bag or bowl. I cut peaches (I have done this with pears as well, if that’s your preference) and red pepper and put them in a separate bag. Wisk the marinade ingredients together, set some aside for basting and divide the rest amongst the bags. I like the flavor of a little rosemary so I put a sprig in while the chicken is marinating.

Peachy Chicken | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe # dinner



Soak your wooden skewers, if that’s what you’re using, and heat your grill or broiler. Skewer the meat, fruit and vegetable and discard the marinade they were in.


Peachy Chicken | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe # dinner


Put the skewers onto the grill or under the broiler, baste with some of the reserved marinade and cook for about 8 -10 minutes. Turn the skewers and baste again.

Once you’ve turned your skewers, bring 1 cup of chicken broth to a boil and add a cup of instant rice and the pignolis. Stir, cover and remove from heat.


Peachy Chicken | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe # dinner


Once your chicken is thoroughly cooked, serve the skewers over the rice.

Peachy Chicken | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe # dinner


This quick and easy dish tastes as good as it looks. Even my picky son agrees.

Baking In A Tornado Graphic | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics

Recipe also published as a guest post to Cooking from a SAHM on 5-13-15

Submitted to: You could be the next featured chef on Plated



Peachy Chicken
                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com
                                                                                                                                                 

 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients (serves two):
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
1 red pepper, cut into cubes
2 peaches, each one cut into 6 slices
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3 TBSP Sweet Red Pepper Chili Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup poppy seed salad dressing (check out my homemade Karen's Poppy Dressing
1 sprig of rosemary
 
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup instant white rice
2 TBSP pignolis (pine nuts)
 
Directions:
*Whisk apricot jam, 1/3 cup of white wine or chicken broth, chili sauce, minced garlic and poppy seed dressing. Set aside about 1/3 of this mixture for basting.
*Put the chicken pieces into a freezer bag (or bowl) with the sprig of rosemary. Put the peaches and pepper into another bag or bowl. Add the remaining sauce to the bags and manipulate gently so that everything gets coated.
*If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water. Grease and heat your grill (or heat your broiler).
*Thread the chicken, fruit and vegetables onto skewers. I prefer to keep the raw chicken on skewers separate from the fruit and vegetables.
*Put skewers onto grill or broiler pan and baste the chicken skewers with half of the reserved sauce. Cook about 8 -10 minutes, turn, baste the other side of the chicken with the rest of the reserved sauce. Cook approximately another 8 - 10 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked.
*Once you’ve turned the skewers, cook the rice according to package directions substituting chicken broth for the water and adding the pignolis with the rice. Serve chicken, peaches and red pepper over the rice.

30 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Sarah. So happy that my son liked it. That's the real test around here.

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  2. I'm SO proud of you for taking on a challenge like this, Karen! Creating fancy, healthy, and delicious meals that don't require meticulous assembly or long cooking times is something that requires talent and culinary skills that not everyone possesses. You're much more of a chef than you give yourself credit for!

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    Replies
    1. I can't even tell you how happy your comment makes me, or how wide my smile is right now. Whether it's what they were looking for or not, it's the kind of meal I make and my readers make and my family really liked it. It was a hard challenge for me, with few ingredients and a very short cooking time, but I'm glad I gave it a try.

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  3. That sounds like a real quick and tasty dish Karen and congrats on being asked to submit your recipe to Plated. It's nice to know that other people are eating the dishes that you created and you've done some really nice stuff too.
    Why do you have to soak the skewers though?

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    Replies
    1. You don't have to soak metal skewers, but if you buy the wooden ones you need to soak them so they don't burn while your food cooks.

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  4. Looks like a yummy dish. And really simple too ... that is always a good thing. Now I just have to get to meal planning a little better so I'm not constantly shaking my head for dinner.

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    Raising-Reagan.com

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    Replies
    1. I do my share of head shaking at dinner time too. But I love knowing I can make this kind of meal in just 30 minutes.

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  5. That looks really good. I've never done kabob cooking. Any tips on finding the right skewers?

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    1. If you want to try it just once I'd recommend just buying the wooden ones. They have them at our grocery stores, they're very inexpensive and you use them once. If you like cooking this way I recommend metal ones. You don't have to soak them and you just wash and reuse. I do hope you decide to try it. Let me know.

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  6. wow...so trying this...and pinning it. can you mix the chicken with the peaches? TOny would get to grill and I would get a healthy meal... awesome sauce babe!

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    Replies
    1. You can mix the chicken with the peaches but I don't recommend it. I prefer to keep uncooked proteins and the other ingredients separate. I hope you love it. Let me know.

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  7. This sounds delicious!!! I love to pair chicken and fruit together--looks like a winner to me!

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    1. I love incorporating fruit too. It gives food a light fresh taste I get often in the summer but less often in the winter. And although the time constraint was difficult, I'm glad to add this to my winter dishes and know it's quick too.

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  8. OMGOSH! This looks SOOO good!! I would never have thought about mixing chicken and peaches!!! I HAVE to try this!!
    WTG on getting asked to do Plated!!!! You are AWESOME!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Stacy. I bet your family would love this dish. And you'll love the ease and convenience.

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  9. I love the recipe you developed for Plated. How exciting for you to be asked to do this, congratualations!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Dawn. It was challenging but fun. And if nothing else, I have a new recipe my family enjoys.

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  10. That looks delish! Chicken and peaches - who knew? I'm the same. I eat lighter meals in the summer but go for more heavier meals in the cold weather.

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    Replies
    1. I think we all have less of an appetite when it's really hot out. But I do crave lighter meals in the winter too sometimes. I can't just eat heavy meals every night.

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  11. I AM SO MAKING THIS RECIPE THIS WEEK! YUM! Peaches and red peppers....genius!!! This is right up my alley: quick and easy. Can't wait to tell you how the Fam likes it! Great job, and thanks! :)

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    Replies
    1. One of the things I love most about recipe development is feedback. Looking forward to hearing how it did at your house.

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  12. mmm mmm sounds good to me. I love peaches and chicken together. I also have a recipe where I use peaches in chili.

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    Replies
    1. Never heard of peaches in chili, but it definitely sounds interesting.

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  13. Just mouthwatering....looks easy and delicious!

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  14. looks great! Stopping by from Let's Get Real Blog Hop

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  15. Hi Karen! I'm stopping over from Let's Get Real today. I was attracted to your recipe because I love peaches. Peaches are one of the foods that my super picky youngest son will eat. Chicken is another thing he eats. All of my kids love to eat food "on a stick" so I look forward to adding this to my meal plan soon. The colors are so beautiful. I would love to use this recipe for entertaining as well.

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    Replies
    1. I have a few super picky eaters too, it's always fun to find something they'll eat. Hope your son loves it.

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