This is such a versatile dish. Light enough for a summer dinner, but hearty enough to satisfy everyone in the middle of winter. I use my garden fresh cherry tomatoes and often make my own peanut butter. The chunkier the peanut butter is, the better I think!

 

I got my inspiration from Fine Cooking Magazine April/May 2019. I picked it up in the airport on the way to San Diego to visit my son. It was a short flight, so I dove in and read every recipe before we landed. This dish was one of the many I flagged in this issue. I made a few changes, but following the one in the magazine works as well. 

 

 

Yields 4 servings

 

¾ cup of natural chunky peanut butter

7 Tbsp olive oil

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

2 small cloves garlic, finely minced

Salt and pepper

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 large onion, chopped

½ a bunch of cilantro, chopped

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice

8 oz. cherry tomatoes

½ cup roasted peanuts
Broth or water for thinning the sauce, only if needed

 

In a small bowl combine the peanut butter, 5 Tbsp oil, lemon juice, one minced garlic clove, and a ½  tsp salt. (If you use natural peanut butter the sauce could be a bit thick. Add a little chicken broth or water to thin it down.) In a large gallon size, zip-top plastic bag add the chicken and the peanut mixture. Refrigerate for one hour. 

 

Preheat oven to 375℉

 

In a cast-iron skillet or any ovenproof skillet, heat on medium the remaining oil. Add the onion, remaining garlic, and ¼ cup of cilantro. Sauté and stir occasionally until the onions have softened. Next, add the sweet potatoes, cover, and simmer until they just start to soften. If needed add a small amount of water or broth. It should take about 6 minutes, but be sure to stir them about halfway through. Once they begin to soften, remove the skillet from the heat. 

 

Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and place it on top of the potatoes in the skillet. Pour the remaining peanut marinade from the bag over the chicken. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and sprinkle the peanuts over the top. Put the skillet into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165℉. 

 

Once the chicken is cooked through turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil the chicken until it gets a light brown top, and the peanuts get a little toasty and dark golden brown color. Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top just before serving. 

 

I often serve this over jasmine rice with a big green salad on the side. The toasted peanuts might be my favorite part of this dish!

 

Just Salt It, and enjoy!