Southwestern Grilled Chicken

For the last two years I have been writing a cookbook that I hope to share with all of you one day. The process to get a book published is very slow and there have been many obstacles but hopefully, one day, my book will come to life. So today I wanted to share a recipe from my "main dish" chapter. It is a simple dish to prepare with bright clean flavors. I usually serve this with a big salad and organic-agave margaritas.

Southwestern Grilled Chicken
Serves 4

3 T. cider vinegar
4 T. olive oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dill, dried
½ teaspoon basil, dried
Salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
4 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, cut into thin slices

Fresh Salsa:
½ red onion, minced
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ jalapeño pepper, minced
¼ cup cilantro, minced
1 lime, juiced
Salt to taste


For chicken: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, Dijon, dill, basil, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a bowl or Ziploc bag and pour marinade over. Cover and marinate overnight or at least 1 hour at room temperature.

For Salsa: Combine red onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper in bowl. I like to pulse mine in the food processor a few times. Set aside. (can be made a day ahead)


Heat grill on medium-high for 15 minutes. Grill each piece of chicken about 6 minutes per side until cooked through. Top the chicken with avocado slices and then cheese. Place under the broiler until melted. Serve with salsa.

Stir Fry

Stir-fry is one of my favorite things to make on the evening of a busy day. All of the vegetables, meat and sauces can be made earlier in the day and then ready to toss together the minute you walk through the door. I can't tell you how many times it has saved me from getting take-out (not that this can even compare to take-out) :)

The soy sauce I use in my cooking is Nama Shoyu. This soy sauce is free of any additives, comes from organic soy (versus genetically modified soy beans (I'll address the dangers of GM foods in a future blog), rich in enzymes and lactobacillus, and is unpasteurized so it is completely fresh. The taste of this soy sauce can't compare to the kind you buy on the shelf at the grocery store. If you can't find it at your local health food store you can order some at http://www.goldminenaturalfoods.com/.


As I finished making this the other day to photograph my kids came home from school and were thrilled to see a huge plate of stir-fry waiting for them. My daughter said "mmmm.." at least ten times while she devoured her portion, so I think it passes the kid test.



Chicken Stir-fry with Garlic Sauce
Serves 4

1 pound chicken breasts, sliced thin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 carrots, cut thin, on the diagonal
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin slices
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons water

Garlic Sauce:
3 tablespoons sherry
3 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon arrowroot (natural thickener found in spice aisle)
1 teaspoon honey

1. Toss together the chicken, soy sauce and sherry in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl combine the garlic, ginger and 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Whisk together all garlic sauce ingredients in small bowl and also set aside. Also have a small bowl with your 2 tablespoons of water and a lid for your pan. (If you don't have a lid for your skillet you can use a few pieces of foil) If it is a busy day I like to prepare all of this earlier in the day so when I come home I can quickly combine all of the ingredients and have dinner on the table in about 15 minutes.

2. In a large skillet, or wok, 2 teaspoons coconut oil over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add chicken in one single layer to skillet and don't stir but let the chicken become golden brown on side that is down. Turn each piece of chicken individually and let cook until second side of chicken is golden brown. Transfer chicken to clean bowl and set aside.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to empty skillet and heat until just shimmering. Add broccoli and carrots. Stir continuously for about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of water and quickly cover skillet with lid. Leave lid on skillet for about 30 seconds, remove lid, add bell peppers and let cook, while continuously stirring, until all of the water has evaporated.
Make a well in the center of the vegetables and add the garlic and ginger mixture. Stir in the middle of the pan for about 45 seconds and then combine with the rest of the vegetables. Add meat and also garlic sauce to pan and toss until all ingredients are well coated with sauce. Serve immediately.