Sweet and Spicy Chicken Breasts
Chicken is my favourite because it can take on many flavours. Sweet and Spicy Chicken Breasts has a tangy citrus sauce which makes it taste like an Island dish. I gather these flavours from the Island of Sicily where my dad was born. A few years ago I was in San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily and I love the flavours of Morocco that the locals infuse in their food. Here it is all about the spices and the citrus.
San Vito Lo Capo is breathtaking. The locals are warm and welcoming and the food is an experience that challenges your taste buds. Interested in going to partake in the Couscous festival? Here are the details for 2019: http://www.sanvitolocapoweb.co.uk/couscousfest.php
I use bone-in chicken breasts.
gather the ingredients for the sauce and bring them to a boil.
brown each of the pieces.
I use about one cup of couscous and the frozen peas have thawed.
The browning seals in all the flavours.
Arrange the pieces on a baking dish.
I cut the scallions and a clementine for my couscous.
I toss the couscous with a dressing that makes the citrus pop!
When I add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce it thickens.
The chicken comes out of the oven and is ready for plating.
I make little mounds of couscous and top it with more clementine sections and some orange rind.
The chicken shimmers with the sauce and it is succulent.
Individually plated it makes an elegant entree.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Breasts
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Breasts are made with a tangy citrus sauce.
Ingredients
The Chicken
- 6 chicken breasts bone-in
- 2 tbsp chicken seasoning I used The Keg brand
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp grated orange peel
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp red pepper chilli flakes optional
- 1/2 cup orange marmalde
- 2 tbsp red pepper jelly
- 1/2 orange zest
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
The Citrus Couscous
- 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup couscous
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
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In a small sauce pan combine the orange peel, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Dijon, red pepper chilli flakes, nutmeg, red pepper jelly and marmalade.
Stir over medium heat until it come to a boil and all the ingredients combine.
Ensure that the chicken is dry.
Rub the chicken with the seasoning and salt and pepper.
Brown chicken in a skillet and put into a baking dish.
Remove about 1 cup of the sauce from the pan and brush it on the chicken.
Place in a 400 F oven for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot of sauce.
Serve the sauce over the chicken
Plate with the couscous.
The Citrus Couscous
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Cook Couscous as per package directions.
Place frozen peas into warm water until they come to room temperature.
Mix orange, juice, lemon juice, canola oil, dijon and parsley.
Toss the peas into the couscous.
Pour dressing over the couscous and peas.
Serve with chicken as a side.
Recipe Notes
You could use a whole cut-up chicken for this recipe.
I only cooked two chicken breasts tonight, but made extra sauce.
This may also be served on a platter, but it is more elegant plated when entertaining.
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