Pepper Chicken

After a stroll through the suk, a new recipe for pepper-smothered chicken is born.

November 11, 2014

Makes 3-4 servings

active:
30 min

total:
1 hr

I was wandering through Jerusalem's open-air market (aka, the shuk) the other day, and these beautiful, brightly-colored peppers caught my eye. I knew I had to have some.

Luckily, I bought enough to enjoy in a stir fry and a salad, but I had a few left and wanted to try something new. This recipe was born. Even when cooked, the peppers still have a great texture and a nice mild flavor to them, and I cut the peppers in strips just like the chicken so they were all about the same size. The sauce is very versatile and can be used in lots of different dishes. I particularly like to serve this over rice or couscous to soak up the extra sauce.

Amy Spiro is a journalist and writer based in Jerusalem. She is a graduate of the Jerusalem Culinary Institute's baking and pastry track, a regular writer for The Jerusalem Post and blogs at bakingandmistaking.com. She also holds a BA inJournalism and Politics from NYU.

Zoom Kobe 1 Protro

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium onions

6 bell peppers of a mixed variety of colors

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Steps

Cook the chicken breasts on a grill pan or a George Foreman grill until cooked through. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Peel and dice the onions and add to the pot. Cook the onions, stirring regularly 15-20 minutes, until they're lightly browned.
Core the peppers and slice into thin strips. Add to the onions and stir to mix. Cook, stirring regularly for another 15 minutes.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together well (I find putting it in a plastic container with a lid and shaking works best). Pour the sauce into the pan with the pepper mixture (you may not want to use all of it, your choice).
Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and add to the pan, stirring to coat in the sauce. Cook, stirring regularly over low heat, 3-4 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Serve over rice, couscous or any other grain.