Cajun Chicken Breasts

In keeping with the resolution to maintain a smarter diet I pulled out my ever faithful Meal Lean I Yumm cookbook from Norene Gilletz . The title Meal Lean I Yumm is now out of print but has been replaced with the title Healthy Helpings. The one thing I have found over the years with all of Norene Gilletz's cookbooks is how really easy they are to work with. A dummy proof recipe is worth gold and I can honestly say I have never had a failure and I think I have nearly all her books.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika (I used hot paprika)
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Directions:

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Trim off excess fat. Combine oil, lemon juice, seasonings and garlic in a mixing bowl. Add chicken and marinate for an hour at room temperature, or up to 24 hours covered in the fridge.



2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange in a single layer on a foil lined 10"x15"x1" baking sheet. Pour marinade over and around chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces over at half time. Baste occasionally with pan juices. When done chicken will be springy when lightly touched. If overcooked, chicken will be tough.

Verdict: This is a very flavourful way to prepare chicken. It has a bite to it so if spice isn't your thing, cut back but don't eliminate the flavour.




Our friend Joelen from Joelen's Culinary Adventures has awarded us the Lemonade Award. I haven't seen this award before and was tickled to learn that the Lemonade Award is given to blogs that have a refreshing outlook, style, vibe, etc. These blogs offer recipes & cooking/baking techniques that are unique, interesting and of course, refreshing. Thank you Joelen for regarding us so highly!!

Do stop by Joelen's blog - there's always an interesting event going on and loads of good cookery to enjoy.

Here are the rules for this award...

- Add the logo in your blog.
- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
- Nominate other (refreshing…like lemonade) blogs of your choice.
- Don’t forget to add links to those blogs in yours.
- Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

We'd like to pass on this award to:

Lori Lynn from Taste With the Eyes.
Cathy of Noble Pig
That Girl at Paved with Good Intentions
Nuria of Spanish Recipes
Katie from Good Things Catered

Each of these blogs has a refreshing uniqueness of its own. If you haven't visited one or all of them, you don't know what you're missing.