As featured in my book Eat What You Love, this recipe is a wonderful example of how everyday ingredients can meld to create a taste much greater than the sum of their parts. Garlic, lime juice and sweet honey are all flavorful in their own right, but when combined – with just a bit of butter – they make a simply irresistible sauce. Better yet, because the ingredients are added to the already used pan, the sauce doesn’t dirty any additional dishes – and it takes just 2 short minutes to make!
Quick cooking brown rice and steamed broccoli are nice sides and can cook simultaneously (the rice on the stovetop takes 10 minutes and steamed broccoli in the microwave just 4), with the chicken. A yummy healthy complete dinner in under 25 minutes? I’ll take it!
Makes 4 servings
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons juice)
1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1. In a small bowl, mix together the spices (cayenne through salt). Gently pound each breast to an even thickness of about 1/2-inch and coat them on both sides with the spice mixture.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
3. Reduce the heat to low. Add the last teaspoon of oil and the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in the lime juice, chicken broth, and honey, scraping up any browned bits. Continue stirring with a whisk and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the butter to the pan and whisk it into the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan and heat briefly while coating it with the delicious sauce.
Nutrition Information Per Serving (1 chicken breast): Calories 210 | Carbohydrate 4g (Sugars 3g) | Total Fat 6.5g (Sat Fat 2g) | Protein 32 g | Fiber 0g | Cholesterol 75mg | Sodium 410mg | Food Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat, 1 Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 0 Weight Watcher Smart Points: green 4, blue 2, purple 2
