Kurt R.A. Giambastiani

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts (halves), washed and skinned
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tbsp oil (peanut, olive, or safflower)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup peanut butter (chunky preferred)
• ¾ cup warm water, divided

Preparation:

• Dust chicken breasts with salt and ground ginger
• Heat oil in large skillet
• Sauté chicken for 5 minutes; remove to a dish
• On medium heat, add onion and garlic; cook until translucent
• Add tomatoes with juice from can, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes
• Mix peanut butter, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the warm water; add to skillet and stir in well
• Return chicken to skillet, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (internal temp of 165°); don’t overcook or the meat will get tough
• Add the last ¼ cup warm water if needed to achieve desired consistency
• Serve with rice, millet, or couscous, generously ladled with sauce

Notes:

• Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your spice tolerance
• You can use stewed tomatoes in place of fire-roasted tomatoes
• You can halt just before you return the chicken to the stew, and prepare the grains, perhaps a cucumber side salad (or just to have a glass of wine and relax); just get the stew back to a simmer before returning the chicken to the skillet and setting your timer.