Zesty Chicken Breasts
4 fresh chicken breasts
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup white flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, not drained
1 cup rice
butter (pat)
Put about six cups of water and a small amount of oil in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Add rice and boil for 12 to 15 minutes. Put a pat of butter in a serving bowl. Using a strainer, drain water from rice, add to bowl and toss to lightly coat rice with butter. Cover and hold until serving.
Using meat pounder flatten chicken breasts to about ½ inch thick. Coat lightly with corn meal/flour mix and fry to slight brown, about 3 minutes each side. Remove chicken and set aside.
Leave remaining oil in skillet, heat still on medium. Add garlic and brown for about one minute. Add peppers and onions, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to mix well. Add chicken and simmer for about ten minutes.
If water is put on when you start it should be boiling by the time chicken is brown. You can then add rice about the time peppers and onions go into skillet and all will be ready about same time.
Serve by placing a chicken breast on a bed of rice and adding a liberal serving of the zesty sauce.
Makes four servings.
For a heartier sauce more oil can be used. For more zest add another bell pepper and/or a little hot pepper like jalapeño.