Chicken Breasts with Guava and Ginger

My brother-in-law gave us a bottle of homemade guava jelly so I wanted to try this recipe from Ingrid Hoffman's Simply Delicioso cook book. I served it with my version of chef's salad. I prepared the dish way ahead of time, to by the time we had dinner, the sauce had caramelized. Next time, my husband suggested putting some water under the broiler pan.

Guava adds a wonderful sweetness and gorgeous color to this chicken dish. The flavor is exciting and exotic, and it really livens up the chicken breast halves. If you can't find guava jam or marmalade, use any sweet jam in its place, such as a mango or fig jam or a citrus marmalade.

2/3 cup guava jam or marmalade (not guava paste)

2 tbsp. lime juice (from about 1 lime)

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of excess fat,

rinsed and patted dry

1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil for greasing the broiler pan

1. Whisk the jam or marmalade, lime juice, soy sauce, scallions and ginger together in a small saucepan over high heat. When it reaches a boil, transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool slightly.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add 3 tbsp. of the guava marinade. Turn the chicken to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
3. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease the perforated top with the oil. Place the chicken on the oiled top and cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and baste the chicken with the remaining guava marinade. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake until the chicken is completely cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Serves 4.

Cook's note: The next time your market has a special on chicken breasts, buy a bunch to freeze. Wrap each chicken breast in freezer-safe plastic wrap (regular plastic wrap lets air get through) and freeze them flat on a baking sheet. Transfer the flat, frozen chicken to a freezer bag. Now you can defrost however many you need - from one to a few.