I don't follow any particular diet, but I do look out for recipes that I think are healthy. Last week while I was browsing for recipes for my weekly meal plan, I came across this recipe for Orange Chipotle Chicken with Cilantro Rice on the Clean Eating Magazine website. It looked tasty so I decided to try it. Here is my slightly modified version.
Orange Chipotle Chicken with Cilantro Rice
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. chile powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.), rinsed and patted dry, pounded 1/2-inch thick
- Juice 1 medium navel orange (1/3 cup orange juice)
- 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp. chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1/4 packed cup chopped cilantro leaves
Preparation Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine chile powder, cumin and 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet to medium-high. Tilt skillet to coat bottom lightly. Season both sides of chicken with chile-cumin mixture and cook for 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Add orange juice and maple syrup to juice and bits left in skillet and cook for 1 minute to thicken slightly (until it measures 1/4 cup liquid), stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and orange zest. Add chicken back to skillet, return to heat and cook for 1 minute on medium-high, turning constantly.
- In a medium bowl, combine rice, cilantro and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Serve chicken over rice and spoon any excess glaze over top chicken pieces.
Not only was this meal pretty easy and quick to make, it was delicious! Both hubby and son ate it up. I was a little worried that my son wouldn’t like the Cilantro rice, but he surprised me and ate all the food on his plate. I did wind up cooking a separate chicken breast for him without the chipotle chiles, because the version above was somewhat spicy.