Monterey Chicken

[ajarvis]

Monterey Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium red potatoes, cubed
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup salsa
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.
Toss potatoes with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter until coated. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove pan from oven, and push potatoes out to the sides of the dish. Place the chicken breast halves in the dish. Stir together the remaining butter and lime juice. Brush onto chicken. Return to the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, cilantro and salsa. Sprinkle over the chicken and potatoes. Return to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with lime wedges.

*I don't use 1/2 cup butter, I use oil and just however much I need.
**If you don't want to toss the potatoes with butter/oil and bake you can boil them until just tender and add them afterwards.
***OH and I suggest marinating the chicken in the 1 1/2 cup salsa 1/4 cup lime juice, and cilantro!

[threenorns]

note: if you marinade the chicken, do NOT use the marinade to cook in. discard and mix up a fresh batch for baking it.

this recipe was also a major hit, particularly since it used up all the leftovers from the chicken quesadilla

lovely taste!

note: don't use big potatoes

[ajarvis]

Good idea on the quesadillas!

We've always used the marinade to cook in, but it's probably a good idea not to!

[LiftGirl]

i think you can use the marinade to cook in as long as you boil it.

[threenorns]

apparently you're right....



.... but i think i'll just play it safe

[Gearloose]

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

i think you can use the marinade to cook in as long as you boil it.

Yes, this is correct. Any marinade that is used for raw meat must be heated to at least 160 degrees for a few minutes to kill salmonella & E-Coli bacteria. Boiling is an easy guarantee that you got it hot enough. One trick that works with a lot of marinades is to bring the marinade to a boil, then heat at a rapid simmer until the liquid is reduced by 1/2 to 2/3, then use the marinade as a finishing sauce or base for a sauce.

Remember to keep marinated meats in the refrigerator for the entire marinating time - NOT SITTING OUT ON THE COUNTER!

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by Gearloose

Yes, this is correct. Any marinade that is used for raw meat must be heated to at least 160 degrees for a few minutes to kill salmonella & E-Coli bacteria. Boiling is an easy guarantee that you got it hot enough. One trick that works with a lot of marinades is to bring the marinade to a boil, then heat at a rapid simmer until the liquid is reduced by 1/2 to 2/3, then use the marinade as a finishing sauce or base for a sauce.

Remember to keep marinated meats in the refrigerator for the entire marinating time - NOT SITTING OUT ON THE COUNTER!

Probably easier to just make extra marinade!

[Gearloose]

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

Probably easier to just make extra marinade!

If you make a reduction or sauce from a fresh marinade, it will not have the meat flavors it picks up from the marinating process. The meat picks up the flavor of the marinade, and the marinade picks up the flavor of the meat.

Of course, not all marinades are suitable to use as reductions or sauces. It depends on the recipe.