Sunday California chicken

I had ingredients to use use up and two more airline chicken breasts, so this is what I came ip with for our wedding budget date night!

Black beans:

1 cup dried and rinsed black beans in the slow cooker for 8 hours with about 3 cups water (enough to leave about an inch of liquid over top, with some chicken stock (didn’t measure that)); one small onion quartered, 1 smashed garlic clove, 1 bay leaf. About halfway through cooking I added 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp paprika, a pinch of chili flakes. When they were done I seasoned with more cumin, more paprika, salt to taste, and some avocado oil. I mashed 1/3-1/2 of them and mixed them back in before refrigerating. I set aside and let them rest overnight. When serving I diced the onions that had been with it and heated slowly again on the stovetop.

Chicken:

The chicken marinated in 2 tbsp avocado oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika/chive mix, zest of one lime, and zest of half an orange, salt and pepper. After some hours, seared in a cast iron skillet and placed into slow cooker. Added juice of one orange, plus about 1/4 cup chicken broth and cooked on low for 4 hours.

I made a little faux salsa with a pomegranate I got from a coworker and an avocado I had hanging around + some pickled onions I’d made for tacos a week ago. Diced what could be diced and added the pomegranate seeds, half the juice of a lime, and some chopped cilantro.

I reduced the cooking liquid from the chicken on the stovetop with a cornstarch slurry to make a sauce.

Dessert:

I served it with a quick lime-guava-pear galette. Made a fake mascarpone with cream cheese, sour cream, more lime zest, and some powdered sugar and honey. Layered pears on top and guava from another coworker’s garden on top, then gave it an egg and sugar wash and another dust of lime zest. Baked at 400 for 35 minutes (I’d check at 30 mins next time). Served it with ice cream and more of the lime cream which was delicious.

We may be saving for a wedding but we still need date meals ☺️