Chicken Breasts w/ Cornmeal-Coriander Crust and Black Bean-Mango Salsa

Hello People,

My sister-in-law, Michelle, sent me this recipe. It is pretty darn good! (I must admit, I have made more than a few nasty new recipes over the past two weeks. So, when the kids sat down for dinner, they were very, very leery, but fortunately, they liked it!)

Here is what you need to make the mango salsa:

Be sure to make it a few hours in advance to let the flavors blend.



Chop up the red onions, mango and cilantro. Cut the fresh corn off the cob. Drain the black beans, juice the limes and instead of oil, Michelle used: 1 T. olive oil with 3 - 4 sprinkles of chili powder. If you are brave you could use red pepper flakes! Michelle quadruples the lime juice, olive oil/chili powder. I did too, it definitely needs the moisture. Mix it all up, cover with some saran wrap and put in fridge.



Next: cornmeal and ground coriander. What is coriander anyways? It gives the chicken a nice flavor though!



This is a very bright picture of the cornmeal and coriander.



Time to cook. Spray your pan with Pam (if some people around here didn't have high cholesterol, I would use butter, mmmmm. So much for aging, Pam it is.)



Coat just one side of the chicken in the cornmeal mixture.



Put the cornmeal side down in the pan and cook until nicely browned.



Flip it over and cook the non-cornmeal side until lightly browned.



Then I put it in the oven to finish cooking as the recipe suggests (see below for recipe).

Take the chicken out and slice it up so prettily.



Put your Mango Salsa on top and wallah, you have dinner! Enjoy! Thank you Michelle.




Chicken Breasts with Cornmeal-Coriander Crust and Black Bean-Mango Salsa

2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled pitted mangoes
1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed
3/4 cup fresh white corn kernels
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili oil*
1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon ground coriander
8 5-ounce skinless boneless chicken breasts, excess fat trimmed
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

*Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

Place first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Toss to combine. Season salsa with salt and pepper. Cover; let stand 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Mix cornmeal and coriander in shallow bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Generously spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Place skillet over medium-high heat. Coat 1 side of each chicken breast with cornmeal mixture. Place 4 chicken breasts, cornmeal side down, in skillet; cook until golden on bottom, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Turn chicken over. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to baking sheet. Keep warm in oven. Wipe out skillet, then spray with more nonstick spray. Repeat with remaining 4 chicken breasts.

Cut chicken breasts diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to plates. Spoon salsa atop chicken and serve.


Bon Appétit
April 1999