I’m calling this recipe“California Chicken” because many of the ingredients are common in Southern California recipes: Avocados, tomatoes, and hot peppers are the basics of many great local dishes. Plus, anything with tomatoes, cheese, and avocado makes me think of my small hometown-the avocado capital of the world!
We eat a lot of chicken and rice in our home. One of the challenges is finding new ways to prepare it so my kids don’t get tired of chicken dishes. This combination of ingredients works well for families on a budget. It’s also a relatively quick and easy chicken recipe to prepare.
To make this California Chicken recipe you will need:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 6 oz. can diced green chiles (do not drain!)
1 28-oz. can stewed tomatoes (do not drain!)
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
1 avocado (optional)
First heat the oil in the pan and cook the chicken at medium to high heat until it is browning on both sides (about 5 minutes per side).
Remove the chicken and keep it warm. In the pan with the chicken drippings, saute the onions, garlic, and celery for about 3-5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the chiles and tomatoes and all their juices. Mix in cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. As you’re stirring, break up the tomatoes with your spoon. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium to high heat for about 10 minutes.
Everything should start to get a little thicker as the water cooks out.
Return the chicken in the pan with the tomato mixture. Cook the chicken for another 5-10 minutes until they are cooked through or until internal temperature reaches 165.
To serve, top each chicken breast with a few slices of avocado and ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese. To get a nice melted cheese on top, put the cheese-topped chicken on an oven-safe dish and set it under the broiler for a few minutes.
Viola! A chicken recipe that has lots of flavor and came from a Californian’s kitchen.
