Sweet Tangy Plum Spiced Chicken

Happy November............

Here, in The Great SouthWest, October's Bright Blue Weather continues, but only the Bright Blue portion. It's HOT here, for November that is.

The sky is that gorgeous blue that comes with Fall, and the mornings are chilly --- about 39 degrees at 7 a.m. But, look what happens in the afternoon ----- it's 85. Tomorrow, a high of 95.

I want 'baking' weather, and I shall have it later this week. I can taste apple crisp and gooey apple cake in my future.

I am taking care of LS #5 today and she has finally given in to an afternoon nap. I asked her to please do so as blogland awaits me.

So, before she is awake and wants to watch Baby Einstein World Animal Adventure (again) let's get to this really, really good chicken recipe.

It is getting attention today at the request of Ms. Waters Edge. It's a very flexible recipe, as you'll see in my notes.

Life is good.............................


Sweet Tangy Plum Spiced Chicken

suggested musical background: I've Got You Under My Skin, by Frank Sinatra


4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 t. Chinese five spice powder (approximate; see my notes)
salt
4 green onions, chopped
EVOO
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. plum jam
4 T. balsamic vinegar


Sprinkle chicken with the five spice powder and salt. Rub the five spice powder into the chicken.

In a large skillet, heat EVOO until hot. Eyeball the EVOO; whatever you want to use for cooking
the chicken.

Add the chicken, seasoned side down. Cook about 5 minutes on each side. Don't pick up the chicken to see how it is doing. Just leave it alone and it will brown nicely. (While the first side is cooking, sprinkle the uncooked side of the chicken with five spice powder and salt.)

When both sides are finished, transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside and let the chicken rest.

In drippings in the skillet, over medium heat, cook the chopped green onions until browned. It won't take long ---2-3 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth, plum jam and balsamic vinegar; heat to boiling.

Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce reduces down to a syrupy consistency.

Return chicken breast to pan. Spoon sauce over the chicken and let the sauce and chicken get acquainted for a few minutes, over low heat.

That's it. Quick and easy.


My Notes:

Original recipe calls for skinless, boneless chicken thighs. RestaurantQuality is not into chicken
thighs, but if you are, you are. So, use them.

Chinese five spice powder. This is the first recipe I have ever used it. Now, I have seen recipes before w/ this spice but I always thought it MUCH too exotic and mysterious. Is it exotic? Yes. Mysterious? No. It's a combination of five pretty common spices. But it smells exotic. And, when you make this, you'll feel exotic; afterall you are using Chinese five spice powder.
I get mine at Penzey's.

The recipe calls for 1 t. spice powder and 1 t. salt. I do not measure. I just sprinkle the spice and the salt out of the containers right onto the chicken and rub it in.

The plum jam. It can be difficult to find plum jam. If you can find it, great. If you find plum preserves that works. If you cannot find plum jam/preserves the recipe is very flexible. You can use just about anything: raspberry, strawberry, apricot, peach. Last time I made it I used something I found in The Great SouthWest, Razzleberry jam (raspberry and blackberry) and it was really, really good.