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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Orange Braised Chicken

After a weekend full of guests and many meals out, when Sunday night rolled around (all too quickly, might I add) I was in the mood to cook. It had to be very easy, though, I was too tired for anything more. I took a look through my Bookmarked Recipe folder to find a dish that fit the bill, and to knock something off of my never ending list of recipes to attempt. Orange Braised Chicken Thighs with Green Olives sounded perfect. The ingredients would be easy to find and inexpensive, and it didn't require much effort.

Though the recipe calls for skin-on thighs, I went with the boneless, skinless variety because I find they still brown well and you save some calories. I browned up the chicken, then the onions and garlic, and left it to braise in the orange and lemon juices. The only change I made was to add in a smidgen of cayenne pepper because I like spice. The recipe recommended serving the dish over yellow rice, so I bought a box of Goya. I didn't have to use too many tools or dishes and after the initial set-up, I only had to sit and wait for it to be done.

The result was a wonderful comfort food-type meal. The rice cooked up perfectly and the chicken had a ton of citrus flavor. The sauce was a little thin but really tasty and the green olives provided a salty bite through the sweet citrus. Ken had the brilliant idea to throw a little hot sauce over the rice, and it was a perfect finish. I might also increase the amount of spices used next time - I think the sauce could have benefited from a bit of smokiness and some heat. Overall, the dish was hearty but not heavy, and was exactly the type of meal I wanted to eat on a tired Sunday.

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