Sometimes “cooking” starts hours before you light the stove.
Things Required:
2 chicken breasts
1 tablespoonful of lime juice
Dash of chili powder (optional)
Dash of turmeric or cumin (optional)
Bowl
2 teaspoonfuls of olive oil
1/2 teaspoonful of minced garlic
1 teaspoonful of rosemary (optional)
Salt and pepper
Wooden spoon
Directions:
Mix the lime juice and olive oil. Add the herbs and stir. Put one of the chicken breasts in a bowl and cover it with the marinade. Season the other chicken breast with salt and pepper and, if you wish, herbs. Refrigerate both chicken breasts for an hour or so.
Broil each one. After ten minutes, turn them over and continue to broil for another five to ten minutes. Test them for tenderness and remove them from the oven when a fork goes in easily.
This Is What Happens:
The marinated chicken breast cooks faster. The lime not only flavours the chicken but also cuts down on cooking time.
Science Behind It:
In marinating, the essential ingredient is an acid such as lime or lemon or vinegar that softens the tissues.
In addition to tenderizing and adding flavour, marinades sometimes preserve colour. If you are marinating foods more than an hour or two, it is safer to refrigerate them. Like cooked food, marinating food needs to be refrigerated to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria.