Today's a Two-Fer!!!

I was reading back through my posts and realized that I haven't posted my award-winning chicken recipe. Hell-llloooooo! Yes, a few years ago (can't believe it's been since 2003) I had just started entering recipe contests. At the time, I worked at a public relations and marketing agency that specialized in representing food clients. One of our clients at the time was Mrs. Dash, and we put on recipe contests each year. Of course, because I love food and love cooking and saw some of these recipes coming in, I caught the bug myself.

What I remember with some fondness about this recipe and adventure is that it was, quite possibly, the only bright spot in one of the worst summers my family endured. Ever. And one day, in the midst of it, I received a phone call telling me I had placed second in the "Cook Like a Californian" cooking contest that was sponsored by the California Poultry Federation (think the Foster Farms chickens). I was so excited to win $500 plus a year's supply of chicken and a bunch of Foster Farms toys, including the stuffed Foster Farms chickens. What fun.

Any-hoo, the category was: Chicken with an Ethnic Twist and below is my little recipe. Please give it a whirl! I hope you love it as much as I do.

Little Havana El Jefe Pollo

1 box (7 ounces) black bean and rice mixture
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, casing removed and crumbled
5 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided
4 boneless, skinless California chicken breasts
1 California Roma tomato, sliced into 8 pieces
1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced to 1/4" thickness
olive oil, as needed
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 California avocado, quartered and sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare rice and bean mixture according to package directions. While rice is cooking, fry crumbled chorizo in frying pan until crisp and pieces are small; drain on paper towel. Wipe fry pan clean. Place chorizo in small bowl and mix with 4 ounces Jack cheese. Set aside. Cut into the fattest side of each chicken breast making a "packet", making sure to not cut all the way through. Stuff each breast with an equal amount of chorizo mix; press firmly to close or secure with toothpicks. Place breasts in 9x9-inch baking pan. Place two tomato slices on each breast and sprinkle remaining 1 ounce cheese over top of all. Bake for 25 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, heat enough olive oil in the bottom of the fry pan, about half-way up a plantain slice. Heat oil over high heat. Place plantain slices in hot oil and fry for two minutes per side, until slightly crispy and browned. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels; sprinkle with sugar.

When chicken is done, divide bean and rice mixture among four dinner plates and place a breast on each of the mounds. Garnish with fried plantains and avocado slices.
4 servings.

Second Place, Chicken with an Ethnic Twist Category
Developed by: Suzanne Finne, Saugus, California


For more recipes from this contest, visit this link - http://www.cpif.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128