Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts [Recipes]

March 23, 2017 / Gary Hilson

I’m a big fan of spice rubs for meat and fish, even when I’m not fully embracing the Paleo Diet, as it allows me to reduce calories and the amount of processed food I eat.

I recently came across this recipe for marinated chicken that I thought would make a nice change. It turned out well. I only cooked the chicken for 30 minutes; any longer and I think it would have dried out. Also, I think setting aside a little marinade may be a good idea as I anticipate the leftovers may be a little dry. Finally, I substituted cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes and the green beans with asparagus that I wanted to finish up.

Ingredients

For the marinade:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds chicken breasts (4 each), trimmed
1½ pounds baby red potatoes, quartered
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 pound green beans, trimmed

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

In a medium bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, a tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir well to mix.

Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal and toss the chicken to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, place the potatoes and cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and toss the green beans with the potatoes and tomatoes.

Remove the marinated chicken breasts from the plastic bag, reserving the remaining marinade in the bag. Place the marinated chicken, evenly spaced, on top of the vegetables. Pour the marinade from the bag over the top of the chicken and vegetables.

Return the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, periodically basting the chicken breasts with the pan juices, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).

Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the top of each chicken breast before serving.

Paleo Slow Cooker Roast Chicken [Recipes]

April 14, 2013 / Gary Hilson

Having embarked on the Paleo Diet a second time, roast chicken is perfect for creating multiple meals. The only problem: I don’t have a roast pan, and even if I did, it would have to be a small one because I have a small oven in my apartment.

I do have a large slow cooker, however, and roast chicken in a slow cooker is easy and the meat falls off the bones. Cooking time varies depending on your slow cooker. An average-size chicken was done in four hours on high by mine.

You need:

1 Whole chicken
1 Sliced onion

For the spice rub:

1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground pepper

You can also throw in vegetables as you would when roasting a chicken in the oven. I threw in a few servings of carrots but eschewed the potatoes as they are not Paleo-friendly. Instead, I used sweet potatoes.

Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry. Mix together all ingredients for spice rub. Rub the spices on the outside and inside of the chicken. Stuff cavity with sliced onion. I cooked mine on high for four hours; the original recipe I came across suggests cooking on low 5-7 hours. Either way, make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can try removing chicken and sitting it on a serving platter, but it’s a challenge taking it out without the chicken falling apart.

4-6 servings depending on your appetite. 🙂

Handy Dandy Chicken

March 12, 2012 / Gary Hilson

I make this casserole a lot. It’s similar to one my mom made when I was a kid. You can use any cut of chicken you like, as long as you stick to the recommended weight in the recipe. I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs which makes it easy to split the servings and freeze leftovers.

2 cups instant white rice
10 oz can of mushroom stems and pieces
10 oz can of cream of mushroom soup
10 oz can of cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup of apple juice
1 1/4 oz envelope of vegetable soup mix
3 lbs (1.4 kg) of bone-in chicken parts, skinless

Combine first six ingredients in large bowl. Spread in ungreased 9×13 inch pan. Arrange chicken, meaty-side up, on rice mixture. Cover with greased foil. Bake 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Serves 6.

Recipe pulled from Company’s Coming: Most Loved Casseroles by Jean Pare.