almond chicken

Last night Holly and I had plans for dinner. With John out of town with Jack and Ella, and Adam safely in bed, we sat down to foccacia with caramelized onions and goat cheese, almond chicken, steamed jasmine rice, and creamed corn. I would usually serve honey-glazed carrots with this meal instead of the corn, but I didn't have any carrots. I think as a total meal, it's better with the carrots.

KJ called while Holly and I will still munching on bread, and came over to hang out with us, although she and Heath already had fajitas at home.

Following is the almond chicken recipe. It has a lot of ingredients, but it's easy, and tastes great. I think of it as a standard because I've made it so many times, but it is special enough for company.

Almond Chicken
1/3 c. lemon juice
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 boneless chicken breast halves

Whisk the first five ingredients. Place in a dish. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade for later use. Add chicken to dish. Chill at least 1 hour.

Cook chicken in 1 Tbsp oil on medium high 8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and place in warm oven.

2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp orange marmalade
1 Tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Add 1/4 cup reserved marinate and chicken broth to skillet. Stir together the cornstach and water; add to mix. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Stir in the marmalade, butter, and spices.

Pour sauce over chicken; sprinkle with almonds.

Enjoy!