I adore Lebanese and food from the Middle East. Consequently I am always on the lookout for recipes that can be made at home. This is one that I created last night after making some major adaptations to a recipe in a book I had. Mick complained the recipe was too dry so here is the version I came up with. He declared this recipe much better than the original which did not have a sauce.
It is the combination of spices that makes this dish so tasty, yet it is not a complicated recipe and does not take much time to make, both of which are huge pluses in my book.
You will notice I have used butter not margarine. I have recently gone back to butter as being a healthier alternative and more natural than margarine.
This recipe is gluten free.
Middle Eastern Spiced Chicken
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces melted butter
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
half teaspoon ground cardamom
Half teaspoon ground cinnamon
Half teaspoon all spice with pimento
Handful of fresh coriander
Half cup light Philadelphia creamed cheese -cream for cooking
Quarter cup fresh lemon juice (or more if you like the sauce more liquid and extra tang.)
Method.Flatten chicken breasts with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Brown chicken in olive oil on both sides.
Combine the spices. Melt the butter and stir in with the spices. Spread some of this over both sides of the chicken and continue cooking. Turn heat to low.
Ten minutes before chicken is required, add remainder of spice and butter mixture combined with half cup of cream, lemon juice and fresh coriander.
Spoon over both sides of chicken. Heat through.
Serves 2.
Serve with steamed vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli and carrot.
HINT
If you want to increase the amount just buy more chicken breasts so you have one for each person and adjust the other quantities accordingly.