Once a Month Cooking:Cilantro Chicken

First of all, I have to tell you that the reason there is no picture of this dish is because I forgot to take it before I called everyone to the table and …uh..there was none left once they go there.  It was like an invasion of locusts on a young green bean crop. At least you have a lovely picture of the cilantro from my garden, right?  Oh wait…here is another ingredient….

I had organic chicken breasts in the freezer but there were not enough to go around if they were just grilled. We are at the end of our grocery cycle  so there was not that much to be imaginative with…but the garden is full of warm, fragrant cilantro and so I sent Matt out to cut some.  Well, I told him to cut alot.

He came back in with two cups of cilantro.  Yep.  Two.

Now, if you have never had fresh cilantro you are missing one of the best things about food, in my opinion.  It has a flavor that is hard to describe, but tastes just like a warm, summer day.  I have heard it described as a parsley/citrus taste but I disagree.   It is aromatic, not spicy…but just…oh, just go buy some.

It is great with cheese dishes, beef, chicken, fish, vegetables…you name it.

Cilantro Chicken:

8 chicken breasts

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Muir Glen Fire Roasted diced tomatoes, one big can (or fresh, chopped tomatoes)

Green pepper or a couple of jalapenos

4 cloves garlic chopped

2 large onions chopped

2 cups of cilantro, chopped and bruised slightly.

Drizzle the casserole with olive oil, lay in the chicken breasts and cover with remaining ingredients.  Bake at 375 until done, about 1 hour if chicken is frozen, 30 minutes if not.

Remove from oven and pull meat apart with a couple of forks or cut it in random pieces with a knife.  Serve over brown Basmati rice.

Serves 12

This recipe will do great in a crockpot (about 8 hours on low).  You can do it on top of the stove for a soupier dish.  And, best of all, it freezes magnificently for your Once a Month Cooking schedule.

Images: Marye Audet