Cilantro Guacamole Baked Chicken

This terrific recipe for Cilantro Guacamole Baked Chicken was submitted by Julie DeMatteo of Clementon, New Jersey.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves, skin removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bunch (approximately 12 ounces) fresh cilantro sprigs, stems left intact
2 small ripe plum tomatoes, finely chopped
Light Guacamole (recipe follows)

Cooking Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt.
2. Cut 4 pieces of heavy-duty foil, each large enough to enclose 1 breast half.
3. Place chicken in center of each piece of foil.
4. Divide cilantro in 4 equal parts; wrap 1 part around each breast half, covering as much of chicken as possible. Fold foil over chicken and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven about 45 minutes.
6. While chicken is cooking, prepare Light Guacamole.
7. Remove cilantro from chicken; reserve cilantro. Re-wrap chicken to keep warm.
8. To serve, place unwrapped chicken on serving platter and top with Light Guacamole. Garnish with chopped tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings.

Light Guacamole: Place in cheesecloth over bowl, 1-cup non-fat plain yogurt. Drain 10 minutes; discard liquid. Peel 1 large avocado; halve and remove seed. Cut 1 half of avocado into chunks; reserve other half. In food processor container, place avocado chunks, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 jalapeño peppers (seeded and finely minced), 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons lime juice and drained yogurt. Add reserve cilantro from baked chicken to food processor container with avocado mixture; process until smooth. In medium serving bowl, place reserved half of avocado and coarsely mash with fork. Stir avocado mixture into mashed avocado.

Recipe provided courtesy of the National Chicken Council. Used with permission.