I usually bake chicken breasts, but it seems like it takes forever. When I feel like I can’t wait for dinner, I turn to pan frying. By flattening the chicken slightly, the chicken cooks even faster. I made a spice rub, that turned into a caramelized sauce as the chicken cooked. I finished the sauce by deglazing the pan with a little lemon juice, and then melting some butter in the pan. The result was a tasty accompaniment that was perfect served with brown rice.

sweet & spicy chicken

makes 3

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts // There was plenty of spice mix to coat 4 breasts
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the spices.
2. Place 1 chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, then flatten with a meat mallet. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
3. Generously sprinkle the spices over both sides of the chicken.
4. In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
5. Saute the chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan. Turn the pan down to medium-low and add in the lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the stuck on bits and combine with the lemon juice. It should be a pretty thick mixture. Add the butter, and stir while it melts.
7. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Turn chicken over so it is completely covered with the sauce.
8. Enjoy!