I've really been enjoying this series and in the most recent release, The Crafty Teddy, he mentioned having a dish called Tequila Lime Chicken.  I thought it sounded yummy and I emailed him (a month or 2 ago?) and he responded today with the recipe.  He added me to his newsletter list and I see that he's going to be in Kansas City in September.  I think I should go and tell him I'm the crazy lady reading a teddy bear mystery but lusting after a recipe.  LOL

I thought I'd share the recipe:

Tequila-Lime Chicken Pasta

 (From The Crafty Teddy)

Ingredients:

• 4 half-chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (red, yellow, and orange add nice color)
• 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
• 1 box of Farfalle (AKA bowtie pasta)
• 2 minced habanero chili peppers (You can use jalapenos, if you aren’t addicted to heat)
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 1 bundle of cilantro, washed, and stems removed
• ½ cup of virgin olive oil (reserve ¼ cup per sauté)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve 2 tablespoons per sauté)
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 2 generous tablespoons gold tequila
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1½ cups of half-and-half

Cooking Instructions:

Dice up the chicken breasts and marinate them in the soy sauce. This can be done several hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Slice up the bell peppers and red onion. Set aside

Combine the habaneros, garlic cloves, and cilantro in a food processor

Using a large open frying pan, sauté the habanero/garlic/cilantro mixture in the ¼ cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter for 4 to 5 minutes. (Be careful not to scorch/burn the garlic, because it will taste bitter.) Add the chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a soft boil and cook until reduced to a paste-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl, using a rubber spatula to clean out the frying pan. This allows you to use the same frying pan for the next step.

Start boiling the water for pasta.

Put the other quarter cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter into the frying pan and melt. Using a slotted spoon, add the chicken. Saute the chicken for several minutes and then add the onion and bell peppers. Stir the mixture occasionally until the vegetables have wilted and the chicken is no longer pink.

Add the reserved habanero/garlic/cilantro pesto and the half-and-half. Stir thoroughly.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook pasta to taste. We like al dente.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick. This will take about 7 – 10 minutes. When the sauce is reduced, pour it into the pot containing the drained pasta and stir. Then enjoy!

LOL, Mendy!  He's so nice isn't he!!  He's coming to our store for a reading after Clockwork Teddy comes out  :)  (I'll be sure to mention I know the crazy recipe wanting lady from the mid-west when I see him! hee hee)

Sam - have you seen the new cover art for Clockwork Teddy?   It's darker but I like it alot.  :O)

Here's a link to see it if you haven't: http://www.johnjlamb.net/books.shtml

that is dark.... not so warm and fuzzy (hehe) like the others :)

We had this for dinner with whole grain pasta and I omitted the Tequila because I couldn't find a tiny bottle.  It was so good!  YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!  The only problem is that he has you make the pasta way to early.  I'm going to move it in the recipe.  :O)

I've never heard of this series, but that recipe looks fantastic, and I'd sure like to support any author who is so responsive to an email. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Mendy!

sad news :(   John Lamb is having to cut back on his appearances, so he won't be coming to my store after all :(  SOunds like I'll just have to rad-trip it to the release party in Gettysburg :)

Les, it's a great series, you and your wife will enjoy it. Ex-cop now making teddy bears with his wife in rural VA. And he's got a "punny" sense of humor. I'm often laughing too hard to read some parts! :)

Sam, we like a cozy with a little bite and a lot of humor, so it sounds ideal for us. I love it when Marilyn is laughing too hard to read it to me and just hands me the book and dissolves.

Darn!  Les, I wrote a review for the first book since I loved it so much.  It's in my reviews in my profile if you are interested.  Or here this is easier:

1st book in the series: The Mournful Teddy Author: John J. Lamb

OK, that does it, we're going to the bookstore. Thanks!

Well I was sitting here trying to figure out what to read next and I think you might have just decided for me!!

Lori & Les - let us know what you think.  I've enjoyed the entire series.

I'm a little more than halfway through and loving it!

We just finished The Mournful Teddy and we loved it. (A dear, sweet person who shall be nameless posted it to our WL.) It's funny, quite a bit of sly humor, and it's more realistic than most cozies, and we absolutely loved it. It's now making the rounds of our friends, and so far they all are loving it, too.

I put the 2nd one, The False-Hearted Teddy, on my Kindle.

I'm so glad you introduced us to this author. He is very talented. Thank you!

I know this is really old but I made this recipe again over the weekend and it's no longer just the recipe that reminds me that John Lamb really does talk to his fans... it reminds me that Lester and I had a connection.

Mendy, I'm intrigued so I just ordered the first in the Teddy Bear series.