This meal reminds me of summer. Like a 1950s traditional American summer where you’re sitting outside on a plaid blanket on top of bright green, freshly mowed grass (not that I really know what that’s like). It must be something about the cornmeal and blueberries–an interesting, yet fun combination–and the play on a most typical American style fare: chicken fingers! Updating a family classic (one that I oddly never enjoyed, to most people’s shock), this dish makes both kids and adults happy.
Crispy Cornmeal Omega Chicken
Ground flax adds both fun color and great nutrition to this meal. It’s particularly high in Omega 3 fatty acids, something that most of us don’t get enough of.
Serves 3-4.
Adapted from Eating Well.
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut very thinly
- 1/3 cup coarse cornmeal
- 1/6 cup flaxseed meal (really finely ground flaxseeds- you can buy it as meal in the store, or grind your own if you already have flaxseeds and want to save money- just make sure it’s really ground well)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, adds a little bit of a cheesy flavor, but not too strong)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- pinch black pepper
Combine cornmeal, flaxseed, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Then spread evenly on a plate (you can even combine the ingredients on the plate if you want to spare yourself one more dish to wash! That’s what I did).
Heat up a skillet to medium-high heat and spray with oil. Begin coating chicken in cornmeal on both sides, setting aside the coated chicken onto another plate. When the skillet is hot, place the chicken on the skillet for about 3-4 minutes, until it is beginning to brown and the part of the chicken touching the skillet is white. Flip, cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the inside of the chicken is white. You can use up the entire space of the skillet and do several pieces at a time.
Blackberry Mustard Sauce
Sweet and tangy, this sauce is a perfect summer compliment to the cornmeal and chicken.
- 1 cup frozen blackberries
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
In a small saucepot, combine blackberries, salt and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Crush blackberries with a spatula or spoon and stir together. Add mustard and honey and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is no longer liquid-y. Stir occasionally.
