Jalapeno-Orange Glazed Chicken Tenders

This sweet and spicy pan sauce for chicken tenders is versatile and quick to make. We used a good quality jalapeno jelly to give the dish a little kick, but we offer some less spicy variations in the recipe notes. Serve the chicken and sauce together over couscous and add an simple vegetable like roasted carrots or steamed broccoli.

  • Ingredients:
  • 1-1/4 lbs chicken tenderloins (about 12 pieces)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons jalapeño jelly
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

Preparation:
Place the flour, salt and pepper on a sheet of waxed paper and mix with a fork. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Lightly dredge the chicken tenderloins with flour and add them to the pan. Cook until light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Lower the heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes stirring frequently to keep the garlic from browning. Add the orange juice and jalapeño jelly and stir until the jelly has melted and the mixture is well combined. Stir in the red bell pepper.

Return the chicken to the pan and turn the pieces several times to coat with the sauce. Cover and cook until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 3 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice.

To make the couscous ~
In a saucepan, bring 1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup orange juice and 2 tablespoons butter to a boil. Stir in 1 cup couscous, remove from the heat and cover. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Easy recipe variations ~
1. Substitute orange marmalade for the jalapeño jelly and add a handful of dried cranberries instead of red bell pepper.
2. Substitute currant jelly for the jalapeño jelly, apple cider for the orange juice and add diced Granny Smith apple in place of the bell pepper.

Source: MyGourmetConnection.com
URL: http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/recipes/main-courses/poultry/jalapeno-orange-glazed-chicken-tenders.php

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