Saturday, November 14, 2009

Cocoa Spiced Chicken

Having chicken for dinner is not new. It's what you do with it that counts.

Chocolate is delicious as a dessert. It is also a delightful suprise when used as a savory flavoring on meats and poultry.

I baked this Cocoa Spiced chicken breast but it is also delicious when grilled. In keeping with the cooking for two, taking out a couple of chicken breasts out of the freezer and spicing it up with "chocolate" makes a special dinner. The addition of a salsa as a topper, in this case made with mangos and avocados makes this simple piece of poultry a complete dinner.

The salsa is the usual combination of diced onions, chopped tomatoes, diced mangos, diced avocados, minced jalapeños and drizzled with a mixture of lime and olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

To complete the dinner serve crusty french bread and a tall, cold gass of Tecate (Mexican Beer).
Spicy Cocoa Rubbed Chicken with Salsa
(recipe from the Southern Living Magazine)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
2 large chicken breasts
2 limes
2 teaspoons of honey
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mango
¾ cup large-diced tomato
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 minced jalapeño
4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro


Preheat grill. Use an outdoor or an indoor grill.

Stir together brown sugar and next four ingredients plus ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Rub chicken with the sugar mixture, coating well.

Grate zest from limes to equal 1 tablespoon; squeeze juice from limes to equal 2 tablespoons. Whisk together honey, lime zest and lime juice in a medium bowl. Add avocado and toss to coat. Stir in mango, next 3 ingredients and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt.

Grill chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 degrees. Serve with mango-avocado salsa.

5 comments:

♥peachkins♥ said...

I love anything chocolate but this is different!

Anonymous said...

Coco & spices sound like a excellent flavoring for the chicken, love it!

Juliana said...

Oh! Never had this...looks delicious...I am sure that the chicken must taste great...yummie!

The Blonde Duck said...

That is so cool and original!

Chef E said...

This looks really good, I am over here catching up!

 

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