South of the Border Chicken with Peach-Avocado Salsa

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon , plus 1 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning

1 orange, juiced

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Peach-Avocado Salsa: recipe follows

lime slices

Place chicken in shallow glass dish; rub all sides with garlic pepper seasoning. Pour orange and lime juices over chicken; drizzle with olive oil. Crush oregano with fingers and sprinkle over chicken. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from marinade and place in large nonstick frypan over medium heat. Sauté, turning, about 12 minutes or until lightly browned and fork can be inserted in chicken with ease. Serve topped with Peach-Avocado Salsa; garnish with lime slices.

Peach-Avocado Salsa:
In medium bowl, mix together 1 fresh peach, peeled, pitted and diced; 1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced; 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced; 1/4 cup diced jicama; 3 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro. In small bowl, whisk together 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil; pour into peach-avocado mixture, stirring gently.

** Use Fresh Habanero instead of red pepper flakes for a more authentic recipe.

Island Honey-spiced Chicken with mango

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

1 small onion, peeled and quartered

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a small bowl, combine honey, lemon juice and lemon peel; whisk until well blended. Remove 1/4 cup of mixture to food processor container; set aside. Add mango to honey-lemon mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Store in refrigerator.

Add onion, jalapenos, paprika, oil, garlic salt, cinnamon, pepper and allspice to honey-lemon mixture in a food processor container. Process until very finely chopped, scrape down sides when necessary. Spread mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts. Spread oil in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Arrange chicken breasts in pan.

Bake at 375° F for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to serving platter; top with reserved mango.

Chicken Salad with Quinoa and Apricot Vinaigrette

Makes 2 dinner sized salads

2 tablespoons sugar free apricot jam
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1 large apple, cut into bite sized pieces
4 medium green onion, sliced
4 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled

1. Combine jam, vinegar, water, dijon and oil in a blender and blend until combined.
2. Toss salad ingredients with dressing and serve.

Healthy cooking tip . . .

Quinoa can be purchased in the health food aisles of most grocery stores. Look for quinoa in the bulk bins. In most cases, it’s much cheaper to purchase in bulk than by the box.

Grilled Chicken and Polenta with Nectarine-Blackberry Salsa

1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
1 teaspoon(s) canola oil
1 tablespoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1 (16- to 18-ounce) tube prepared plain polenta
1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
2 nectarines, halved and pitted
1 pint(s) blackberries, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon(s) lime juice
Hot sauce, to taste

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine 1 tablespoon oil, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub 1 teaspoon of the mixture all over polenta. Rub the rest into both sides of chicken. Cut the polenta crosswise into 8 slices. Rub the cut sides of nectarine halves with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil.
Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Place the chicken, polenta slices, and nectarines on the grill. Grill the polenta until hot and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the nectarines, turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Grill the chicken, until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken and nectarines to a cutting board. Coarsely chop the nectarines. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.
While the chicken rests, combine the chopped nectarines, blackberries, cilantro, lime juice, hot sauce, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Layer the polenta, chicken, and fruit salsa on 4 plates and serve.

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don't use cooking spray on a hot grill.)