JaNae Worthen of Kaysville won $5,000 in the Signature Cache Valley Cheese Recipe Contest.
Her Pixie's Pantry Cilantro Lime Chicken bested four other finalists at a cook-off held at the Utah State Fairpark Saturday afternoon.
Worthen told contest officials that ever since she was old enough to get her hands around a spatula, she has dreamed of opening a restaurant called Pixie's Pantry, after her childhood nickname.She said her winning recipe is a symptom of her "OCD — Obsessive Culinary Disorder."
PIXIE'S PANTRY CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
6 chicken breast halves
3/4 bag tortilla chips, preferably blue corn
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup honey
Zest of 2 limes and juice of one lime
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
3/4 cup mango salsa
6 slices Cache Valley Monterey Jack Cheese
3/4 cup mango salsa
Crush tortilla chips in bag with a rolling pin. Add garlic powder and black pepper then shake bag to mix.
In a bowl, mix honey, zest of one lime and juice of half of one lime. Pound chicken breasts so they are level and will cook evenly.
Coat chicken breasts generously in honey lime mixture then coat well in crushed tortilla chips. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is almost but not thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven and turn on the broiler to low. Mix sour cream, cilantro and zest of second lime and remaining juice of first lime.
Place evenly atop chicken breasts the cilantro, lime sour cream, mango salsa and finally the slices of Monterey Jack cheese.
Place chicken breasts back in the middle rack of oven and broil until cheese is golden brown and chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Serves 6.
e-mail: vphillips@desnews.com