Grilled Chicken with Avocado Relish & Sweet Corn with Jalapeno

So even though I'm cooking for just 1 with RoRo away - you can still make a great meal (and have leftovers for lunch!!)  So at cookbook club last week - we were trying to find the "right" way to cook chicken.  I usually opt for grilling it since it's so fast - but with it being SOOO COLD out & the fact that our grill is buried right now, figured I would try a different method.

So what I normally end up doing is cooking the chicken in a non-stick pan and then cutting the chicken into bite size pieces so I know it's "done" (see blog from a week ago).  However, I have found 2 methods that seem to work a little better!!
      One way to go is throw some olive oil in a non-stick pan - and season your chicken with salt/pepper.  Then throw the chicken breast into the pan - and put a cover to hold the heat in - flipping a couple times.....I usually wing the timing of this until I cut it and it doesn't look pink!
     Second way takes a little longer but made me feel tons better - and then there wasn't little cuts all over my chicken breasts :)  Just rub the breast with olive oil - season with salt/pepper - and then throw on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (depending on the size).  Then just use your meat thermometer (I got mine at Crate and Barrel - the big one is nice for grilling outside!) - and make sure internal temp is 160 and juices run clear.

ANYWAYS - to the recipe!!  So I always end up marinating my chicken - so when I found this recipe in my "Home Cooking - the Costco Way" cookbook - I got really excited!!  Apparently the recipe was developed by Mr Rocco DiSpirito himself :)

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Relish

Makes 4 servings (since it was just me - I just cut up 1 chicken breast)

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 large avocados, diced

1 large tomato, diced

1 medium red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Preheat a grill - or do methods above.  Take each chicken breast and cut in half lengthwise to make cutlets.  You'll end up with 8 cutlets.

Cook chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil - and season with salt / pepper.  Grill chicken until it is cooked through - about 3 1/2 minutes per side.

While the chicken is grilling - make the relish.  In a medium size bowl - combine avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper - and gently fold in cilantro.

Sweet Corn with Jalapeno

So I haven't had corn in forever since I've been trying to make all these new veggies - so decided I could get my corn in AND try a new recipe.  Basically, it's just an add in of something awesome - JALAPENOS!!  Got this from our "Bride and Groom - First and Forever" cookbook...ahhhhhh  :)  This would be better (and not as spicy) with fresh corn, but being that it's FREEZING here - I used frozen corn!  Still dang good!!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

6 thin slices jalapeno Chile, seeded

2 cups corn kernels (cut from 2 ears corn)

2-4 tablespoons water

Combine the butter and jalapeno in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Cook until the butter is bubbling, 1-2 minutes.  Add the corn, 2 tablespoons of the water, and salt and cook until the corn is tender (about 4-7 min).