Hearth & Feather – Rosemary Thyme

Citrus Chili Grilled Chicken

🌿 Citrus Chili Grilled Chicken 🌿
Easy to Prepare • Budget-Friendly • Alcohol-Free

I recently saw Ina Garten prepare a wonderfully bright Tequila Lime Chicken with fresh citrus, chili powder, and jalapeños. It inspired me to create an alcohol-free Rosemary Thyme version using orange, lemon, and lime juices with a little chicken broth in place of the tequila.

The citrus makes the chicken fresh and flavorful, while chili powder adds gentle warmth. Tamed jarred jalapeños provide an optional touch of Tex-Mex flavor without overwhelming heat—and I can simply leave them out of my portion.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or agave
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped tamed jarred jalapeños, drained and rinsed, optional
¼ teaspoon salt, optional
Fresh cilantro or parsley and citrus wedges, for serving

Directions

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper and gently pound the thicker portions until the breasts are an even thickness.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, jalapeños, and optional salt.
Reserve about ¼ cup of the clean marinade for brushing or serving. Refrigerate it separately.
Place the chicken in a shallow covered container or resealable food-storage bag. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and turn the pieces until evenly coated.
Refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. The chicken may be prepared the evening before, but avoid marinating it much longer than 8 hours because the citrus can begin to change the chicken’s texture.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling. Discard the marinade that held the raw chicken.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the chicken for approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Brush lightly with the reserved clean marinade, if desired, and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and citrus wedges.

This cheerful citrus chicken would be delicious with brown rice, grilled corn, black beans, or a crisp garden salad. Any leftovers can be sliced for tacos, wraps, or salads the following day.

Helene
Rosemary Thyme 🌿
Fall In Love With Home Again 💛🏡

Chicken-Apple Breakfast Sausage Patties

🍎🌿 Rosemary Thyme Chicken-Apple Breakfast Sausage Patties

When Dennis and I were having breakfast at First Watch one day, I ordered scrambled eggs with chicken-apple sausage patties.

I remember thinking they were very good—but I could probably make them even better at home! I could use fresh apple and plenty of herbs, and I could definitely make them with much less sodium.

These homemade patties are tender, gently sweet and filled with the warm flavors of sage, thyme and just a touch of maple syrup. They contain no onion or garlic, so Dennis can enjoy them too.

Makes 8 small patties

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken, preferably 92–93% lean
• ½ cup peeled apple, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Tiny pinch of nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt, or omit for an especially low-sodium version
• 1 tablespoon oat flour or plain breadcrumbs, only if needed
• Olive oil spray or a small amount of olive oil for the skillet

Directions

Peel and finely grate the apple. Gently squeeze out some of the excess juice, but do not squeeze it completely dry.
Place the ground chicken, grated apple, maple syrup, olive oil, sage, thyme, fennel, black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a mixing bowl.
Mix gently with a fork or clean hands just until everything is evenly combined. Avoid overworking the chicken so the patties remain tender.
If the mixture seems too soft to shape, stir in 1 tablespoon of oat flour or plain breadcrumbs.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions. With slightly damp hands, shape each portion into a patty about ½-inch thick.
Refrigerate the patties for 15–20 minutes to help them firm up and hold their shape.
Lightly coat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet with olive oil. Heat over medium to medium-low heat.
Cook the patties for 4–5 minutes on the first side. Carefully turn them and cook for another 4–5 minutes, or until nicely browned and the centers reach 165°F.
Allow the patties to rest for 2–3 minutes before serving.

The grated apple and olive oil help keep the chicken moist, while the herbs give these patties that familiar savory breakfast-sausage flavor. With only ¼ teaspoon of salt in the entire recipe, they are much lower in sodium than most prepared or restaurant sausage.

Serve them with scrambled eggs, whole-grain toast and fresh fruit for a delicious homemade breakfast. They can also be cooked ahead and frozen for busy mornings.

Sometimes the best recipes begin with a good restaurant meal—and the thought, “I believe I can make this even better at home.” 💛

Helene
Rosemary Thyme 🌿
Fall In Love With Home Again 💛🏡

Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken

☀️ Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken 🌿

This unexpected—and truly unwanted—heat wave calls for dinners that don’t heat up the kitchen! This easy crockpot barbecue chicken uses organic chicken breasts and a quick homemade sauce made with ingredients I nearly always have on hand.

It’s tangy, lightly sweet, and much lower in sodium than most bottled barbecue sauces.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
• 1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar—or brown Swerve
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt, optional
• Pinch of cayenne, optional

DIRECTIONS

Place the thawed chicken breasts in the crockpot.
In a bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey or sweetener, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, optional salt, and cayenne.
Pour the homemade barbecue sauce over the chicken, turning the chicken once to coat it well.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours, just until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Begin checking at about three hours so the chicken breasts don’t become dry.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks.
Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir it into the barbecue sauce.
Cover and warm for another 10–15 minutes before serving.

ROSEMARY THYME NOTE

If the sauce is thinner than you prefer, leave the crockpot uncovered on HIGH for about 15 minutes after shredding the chicken.

Serve it on whole-grain buns, over baked potatoes, or tucked into lettuce cups. Add fresh homemade coleslaw and sliced watermelon for an easy summer supper—without turning on the oven!

Helene

Rosemary Thyme 🌿😊
Fall in Love with Home Again💛🏡