Hoisin-Glazed Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

Finally, I've taken a step away from Nigella's cookbook. My eyes have now traveled to my most recent addition of Real Simple Magazine. Tonight we tried this recipe and it's been a relief from all of the comfort food that I've made recently. I've used quite a few recipes from Real Simple. They are great at creating a meal that has your veggies & meat all in one. A real winner in my book is if my son will eat it and he did. He especially loved the bell peppers. He called them apples. I frankly didn't care what he called them as long as he ate them!

The hoisin sauce really makes the dish. I was first introduced to hoisin sauce here in Japan at the commissary. It's of gravy consistancy and contains a mixture of soy sauce, chili sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar among other things. You should be able to find Hoisin sauce now a days just about at any major grocery chain. You might be able to locate it near the soy sauce and stir fry mixes.

This dish is low in fat and perfect for a Summer cook out. In fact, they call for the chicken to be stuck under the broiler but it could just as easily be thrown on the grill.

Next time around, I may try marinating the chicken overnight and letting the veggies sit in the dressing for a few extra hours before serving. Also, the chicken could just as easily be replaced with fish or pork. If you have particularly thick chicken cutlets (like frozen costco ones) butterfly them before tenderizing, they'll cook a lot faster.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1 green bell pepper sliced
• 3 scallions (green onions), halved and cut into 4 inch strips
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Heat broiler on high. Rinse the cutlets and pat dry with paper towels. Pound the cutlets to an even thinness. Place on the broiler pan. IN a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, and fish sauce (if using).

Transfer 2 tablespoons of the glaze to a large bowl and stir in teh remaining rice vinegar. Add the cabbage, peppers, scallions and cilantro and toss. Cover and refrigerate(unless of course, you're house is close to freezing like ours. You can just leave it out on the counter).

Pour about 1 tablespoon of the remaining glaze into a small bowl; set aside as a finishing sauce. Brush the chicken with the glaze that remains. Broil, brushing occasionally, until cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Spoon the reserved glaze over the top. Serve with the slaw.