Calabacita Nueva

 Calabacita, which literally means, "little squash" is a traditional Mexican comfort foot that combines chayote squash, tomatoes, corn, onions, chile, and many times, chicken. It is enjoyed by families all over Mexico, and the Southwest United States. It is a childhood favorite that I enjoyed many evenings after a long day at school during the fall or winter season. Sadly, when I first tried introducing the more traditional version to my family, they rejected it and weren't interested in it. :( I wasn't willing to part with such a classic family dish, and began my experiment to reconstruct it in a way that brought a classier presentation all while maintaining the integrity of the ingredients. 

Calabacita Nueva is a New American cuisine twist on a Mexican classic that combines the best of both worlds. During the fall and winter, all of these ingredients are easily accessible in most grocery stores. It's also very kind on the budget and easily feeds 6-8 people. I purchased all of my ingredients at my local Trader Joe's. It's easy, fast and out of this world! It's a perfect dinner to entertain with, especially for Shabbat. Serve with a big loaf of warm bread, or freshly heated tortillas. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb of baby zucchini (courgettes)

1 lb baby heirloom tomatoes

1 red onion, cut into large chunks

2 lemons

1 bunch of cilantro

¼ cup organic corn

3-4 chicken breasts

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Paprika

Balsamic reduction sauce

Directions:

1.     Cut each chicken breast in half, creating two thin long slices.

2.     Marinate in the juice of two lemons.

3.     Liberally sprinkle each piece with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

4.     Liberally coat a non stick skillet with extra virgin olive oil and preheat the skillet to medium heat.

5.     Sear the chicken on each side, for about 4-5minutes or until thoroughly cooked. The inside of the chicken needs to reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

6.     In a separate pan, liberally coat your pan with more extra virgin olive oil and bring the skillet to a medium heat.

7.     Place your baby zucchini, baby heirloom tomatoes, red onion, and corn in the pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Cook on medium to medium high for about 10 minutes, or just until some of the baby heirloom tomatoes start to burst.

8.     Cut one bunch of fresh cilantro, and reserve for garnish.

9.     Combine the chicken and vegetables into large serving dish. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!