Chicken with Coconut Jalapeno Sauce

This is one of those wonderful recipe gems that give you a great flavor-packed dish with just a handful of ingredients and minimal time and effort.  It's like a unicorn.  But better tasting.  The subtle coconut flavor in coconut milk can sometimes get overpowered by other ingredients, but with the coconut milk getting reduced, plus it being the main ingredient in a fairly simple sauce, you can really pick up the coconut flavor in the finished dish.  And being a coconut lover, that definitely makes me very happy!  And who doesn't love the classic flavor combo of coconut and lime?  Throw some jalapeno in there for a little kick and you have yourself one fantastic weeknight dinner.

Chicken with Coconut Jalapeno Sauce

Time to Prepare: 30 minutes
Number of Servings: 3-4

• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and membranes removed, cut into fourths
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 chicken breasts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• hot, cooked rice

In a small saucepan, bring coconut milk to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes).

While the coconut milk reduces, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the jalapenos and cook until slightly blackened on both sides.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Generously salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Place it in the pan and cook on both sides until cooked through.

While the chicken cooks, combine the reduced coconut milk, lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender.  Add half the jalapeno pieces and blend until smooth.  Continue to add jalapeno pieces and blend, one at a time, tasting after each addition to make sure it's not too spicy.

Slice chicken and serve over rice, drizzled with sauce.

Produce used: Jalapeno, lime
Source: slightly adapted from Everyday Reading