Matzoh Cake Meal -- Not Just for Passover Anymore (Baked Chicken)

If you want to impress your friends, try this chicken recipe.  It's really easy to make, yet elegant enough to be served at a seder.

Although this recipe uses matzoh cake meal, which is very finely ground cake meal, which is finely ground matzoh, you can make this recipe after Passover, and no one will complain.  Or you can replace the cake meal with flour.  I don't care.  Gay avek! Loz mich tzu ru! (Go away! Leave me alone)!.  I'm suffering from chai withdrawal.

I made the sauce one time without the wine when I didn't have any in stock, and the sauce was still tasty.  But everything goes better with wine, so I'll leave it up to you.

Baked Breast of Chicken
based on Something Different for Passover by Zell J. Schulman (1985)
Serves 6

olive oil baking spray
1 cup matzoh cake meal (NOT matzoh meal)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
6 chicken breast halves, skinless & boneless
1 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
2 Tbs. margarine

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease rimmed baking pan and set aside.

Combine cake meal, ginger, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish.  Lightly spray each chicken breast with oil, then dip into coating mixture.  Arrange coated breasts in a single layer on baking pan.  Lightly spray each piece again. 

Bake for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through and coating is browned.

While chicken is baking, make sauce:  combine preserves, wine if desired and margarine in a small saucepan.  Heat medium-low until boiling, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low, then continue to boil for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and cover until chicken is done.

Plate chicken, spoon a little sauce over each piece and serve.