Over the last 6 months I have found a love for lime juice and zest in recipes. Limes are little fruits with big bold flavor and some surprising benefits. In a marinade it adds a beautiful citrus flavor and some acid. Marinating the chicken with lime juice will help to tenderize the meat and infuse flavor. When you add the zest to a recipe it adds a more concentrated flavor. Today, I am making Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans.
Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans not only makes a healthy meal, but it is colorful and appealing to the eye. We eat some sort of chicken dish 2-3 times a week, so I am always trying to come up with new recipes or put a spin on an old one. Sometimes I take multiple recipes and meld parts of them together. Other times I may only have certain ingredients on hand and that is when I need to get creative.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 chicken breasts, sliced
- 1/2 can beans
- 1 cup rice, cooked
- 1/2 can sweet corn
- 1/2 can diced tomatoes with green chilis (I used medium heat)
- 1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 tablespoon plus, garlic powder
- lime wedges
MARINADE FOR LIME CHICKEN
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup water
- salt
- pepper
In order to make Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans you must first make the marinade. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a container or large sealable bag. I always taste the marinade to make sure it is not bitter tasting.
Slice the chicken breast into thin strips. Place the chicken into the bag, seal it and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or more.
Dump the chicken and its juices into a frying pan. Cook the chicken over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Put the rice on the same time you start the chicken. Gather the rest of the ingredients. After 5 minutes add the beans, corn, tomatoes with chilis, and garlic. Add the rice to the mixture and stir to combine.
Plate your Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans and serve with some lime wedges in a bowl to squeeze over top. You can serve this with some tortilla chips as well.