Chicken Baked in the Yucatan Style

We've substituted the more available Swiss chard for the more authentic but hard-to-find banana leaves. Annatto seeds, also called achiote seeds, are used principally for coloring and can be found in Mexican markets; they're optional in this recipe.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken roll)

Ingredients

• 8  garlic cloves
• 1/2  cup  water
• 1/2  cup  orange juice
• 2  tablespoons  ground annatto seeds (optional)
• 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  salt
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 8  (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
• 1/4  cup  low-salt chicken broth
• 2  cups  sliced onion
• 1  (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 8  large Swiss chard leaves or banana leaves
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Drop the garlic through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Add water and the next 8 ingredients (water through pepper), and process until blended. Combine garlic mixture and chicken in a large zip-top heavy-duty plastic bag, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving 1 cup marinade; set both aside.

Heat chicken broth in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Add 1/4 cup reserved marinade and tomatoes; bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups. Remove tomato mixture from heat, and set aside.

Drop Swiss chard leaves into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well.

Place 1 chicken breast half in center of each Swiss chard leaf, and top with 1/4 cup of tomato mixture. Fold in the edges of leaves, and roll up; place the chicken rolls in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour remaining 3/4 cup of marinade over the chicken rolls. Cover and bake at 350° for 50 minutes; uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining tomato mixture. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

164 (9% from fat)

Fat:

1.7g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:

27.7g

Carbohydrate:

8.5g

Fiber:

1.2g

Cholesterol:

66mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

603mg

Calcium:

52mg