Heat and sweet harmonize in agave chicken dish

By The Associated Press
Heat and sweet harmonize nicely in this chicken dish sweetened with agave syrup and spiced up with ground ancho chilies. Serve this with a side of roasted sweet potatoes.
–––
CHILI-RUBBED AGAVE CHICKEN
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
3 tablespoons ground ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons agave syrup
Lime wedges, for garnish
In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne and salt. Set aside.
Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, then use the flat side of a meat mallet to gently flatten each breast until it is about 3/4 inch thick. Rub each breast with the seasoning mixture.
In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil. Place the chicken in the skillet. Cook until the underside is well browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is browned, about 3 minutes longer.
Add the broth and agave syrup, and bring to a simmer. Be careful that the liquid doesn’t boil over. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until the chicken feels firm when pressed at the center, about 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to dinner plates and pour the juices on top. Serve with lime wedges.
(Recipe adapted from Mani Niall’s “Sweet! From Agave to Turbinado,” DaCapo, 2008)
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 256 calories; 72 calories from fat; 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 68 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 3 g fiber; 728 mg sodium.

: **FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES** Chili-rubbed Agave Chicken is seen in this Monday April 6, 2009 photo. Heat from ancho chilies and sweet from Agave syrup work together to create this Chili-rubbed Agave Chicken. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)