Congratulations
to Priscilla Yee of California!
Yee’s recipe for Apple Cranberry Chicken with Herbed Rice earned her $5,000, a cooking session with celebrity chef Devin Alexander and mention of her name and hometown on the box of a new Smart Ones® entrée inspired by her recipe.
Apple Cranberry Chicken with Herbed Rice
The apples, cranberries, and sweet-tangy sauce combined with the lean chicken in this dish, tingles all my taste buds and fills my mouth with flavor. The honey-apple-cinnamon combination is reminiscent of dishes my Mom made while I was growing up.
So, while reliving great memories, this recipe not only feeds the soul, but the body, as well. I used to make this with bacon, but the smoked paprika replaces the smoky flavor – without all the additional fat -- and provides depth to the dish.
Servings: 4
Cook Time: Approximately 10 minutes
| Ingredients |
| 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning |
| 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika |
| 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder |
|
1/2 teaspoon salt |
| 4, 4-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves |
| 1 tablespoon olive oil sauce |
| 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons apple juice, divided |
| 2 tablespoons honey |
| 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar |
| 1 1/2 cups peeled, sliced Golden Delicious apples |
| 1/2 cup dried cranberries |
| 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| 2 teaspoons cornstarch |
| 1 tablespoon chopped parsley |
| Herbed Rice: |
| 1/4 cup chopped parsley |
| 2 tablespoons minced green onion |
| 2 cups cooked brown or white rice |
Preparation
| 1. |
In a small bowl combine poultry seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and salt; mix well. |
| 2. |
Sprinkle mixture over both sides of chicken. |
| 3. |
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. |
| 4. |
Add chicken and cook 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. |
| 5. |
Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. |
| 6. |
For sauce: add 1 cup apple juice, honey, vinegar, apple slices, cranberries, cinnamon, paprika, and salt to skillet with drippings. |
| 8. |
Bring to a boil over medium heat. |
| 9. |
Simmer until liquid is reduced by one-third and apples are almost tender, about 5 minutes. |
| 10. |
In small bowl stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons apple juice until cornstarch is dissolved. |
| 11. |
Stir into sauce. |
| 12. |
Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. |
| 13. |
Pour sauce over chicken, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Stir parsley and green onions into rice; serve with chicken. |
Up for tasting a few more “FRUITastic” dishes?
See below for recipes from our four runners-up:
Cherries Jubilee Grilled Chicken
by Jennifer Coduto of Kent, OH
Braised Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions
by Elizabeth Obarr of Moriarty, NM
Apple Cranberry Five Spice Chicken
by Cliff Piel of Center Valley, PA
Chicken Tenders with Apricot Salsa
by Rebecca Reece, of Henderson, NV
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