Braised Chicken - Everyday Annie

I’m always happy to find new unique ways to prepare boneless, skinless chicken breasts since chicken is definitely my preferred source of protein. And I must say, this is definitely a fantastic new variation – I love it for many reasons. First and most importantly, it tastes amazing. Second, the combination of spices gives it a really interesting flavor that is very different from most things I eat on a regular basis. Also, you’ve gotta love any dinner that requires such minimal prep time and then comes out so fabulously tasty (and healthy!) This will be a staple in our house for sure.

Now, if you are like me, you may look at the ingredient list and think that these spices might sound like an odd combination or something you might not enjoy. I had this recipe marked to try for a long time but continually passed over it when menu planning because I was unsure. Finally I decided to just give it a go, and really, I could kick myself for not trying it sooner. I previously had a fear of curry after ordering a dish in a restaurant that was so heavily seasoned I couldn’t even eat it. Also, I love cinnamon but I’m not sure I have ever used it in a savory dish before. I almost omitted it, but then decided to try it. Again, so glad I did because though the cinnamon itself was not overtly noticeable in the finished meal, it definitely lent a great depth and complexity to the taste. Ben and I were both very impressed by how juicy the chicken was – it was just as good as if it had marinated all day long. My only issue was that I ended up with more veggies than could fit in my baking dish. I’m sure this simply depends on what size dish you use, and I do think there was just the right amount to eat with the chicken. This could be made very easily in a Dutch oven, and then you could avoid using separate dishes for browning and baking the chicken. I may try that next time. Enjoy!

Yield about 3 servings

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cumin
4-5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 onion, sliced
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
Cilantro, for garnish

Directions

01
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, paprika, curry powder, cinnamon, salt, cumin and olive oil. Whisk together until well combined. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until just golden brown on both sides, a few minutes per side. Once browned, remove the chicken to a plate.
02
Toss about a third of the sliced peppers and onions onto the bottom of your baking dish. Lay the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Brush the tops of the chicken pieces with the spice-olive oil mixture. Distribute the remaining peppers and onions around and on top of the chicken pieces, and top with the chopped tomatoes. Brush the remaining spice-oil mixture on top of the veggies. Pour the chicken broth into your baking dish around the edges. Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven to bake for 1 hour. After 30 minutes of baking, remove from the oven, flip the chicken pieces over, toss the vegetables, and spoon some of the cooking juices from the bottom of the dish over the top of the chicken. Return the dish to the oven to bake for 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Source

adapted from Kayotic Kitchen via Pioneer Woman
(Note – I can no longer find this recipe on either of these sites to link to the original recipe, but I found it through my Google Reader.)