Tired of the same old chicken recipe? This recipe’s intriguing tomato sauce is redolent of honey and spices, and is a wonderful change of pace for serving over boneless chicken breasts.
Serves: 8
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp dark honey
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
In a food processor, process the onion and garlic until a coarse paste forms. In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion-garlic puree and saute for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and honey and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Blot the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pan and saute on one side for about 2-3 minutes, until browned. Turn the chicken over and saute on the second side for another 2-3 minutes, until browned. Reduce the heat if necessary to avoid scorching the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Repeat the browning process with the remaining oil and chicken and transfer it to the baking dish.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and bake it for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature should be at least 180 degrees F).
Sprinkle the chicken with the sesame seeds and cilantro and divide among serving plates. Serve hot.
Source: Cooking at the C.I.A., produced by Marjorie Poore Productions.
