Pacific Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad and Sauteed Peppers and Onions

I've been on a south of the border fix lately, if you couldn't tell. That and an Indian fix, but that one isn't my fault! :)

I had been wanting to try Diana Henry's Pacific Lime Chicken from her book Pure Simple Cooking. I absolutely love all the pictures in this book and the recipes are all simple, as the name says. The pacific lime chicken was no exception. You mix together the marinade, add in the chicken, let it sit, then roast. How easy is that?

I decided I wanted to grill mine, so I used chicken breasts that I split and pounded to a thin 1/4". I also decided to serve the chicken with some simple sauteed peppers and onions along with some rice to cure my south of the border fix. I felt like the meal needed a 4th option, so I added in a black bean salad with a cilantro-lime dressing.

This meal would be a great  on lazy summer weekend where everyone is outdoors and relaxed. It would also be delicious as a new version of fajitas if served with tortillas.

Pacific Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad and Sauteed Peppers and Onions

adapted from Pure Simple Cooking by Diana Henry

Serves 4

 2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
juice of 2 limes
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
leaves from 1 thyme sprig
salt and pepper
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into thirds and pounded to 1/4" thick

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 handful cilantro

1 garlic clove

1 lime, zested and juiced

olive oil

1 tsp agave syrup

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced

cooked rice, to serve

1. Mix together first 7 ingredients for marinade and add chicken.  Let sit, covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

2. Combine cilantro, garlic and lime zest and juice in a food processor. Process to make a paste, then add some olive oil and agave syrup to make a dressing-like consistency. Pour over black beans. Let sit at room temp until ready to serve.

3. Saute the bell peppers and onions until crisp tender and onions begin to caramelize. Set aside. Grill chicken, 5-7 minutes per side. Let sit, covered with foil, for 5-10 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Enjoy!