String Beans and Chicken - Simple

I threw this together tonight. Took me 5 minutes to prepare it and 15 minutes to cook it. My child was thrilled, calling it the best string beans and chicken ever. Yum!

Chicken

• 1 lb. chicken breasts, on or off the bone
• 1 tsp of salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 very juicy lime or 2 not so juicy limes
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• olive oil to just cover the bottom of your pan

1. Sprinkle the spices and half the parsley, but not the salt, over your chicken.
2. Squeeze on the lime juice, catching the seeds. Rub into the chicken. At this point, you can leave the chicken to marinate for as little as 5 minutes, or in the refrigerator all day.
3. When you're ready to cook it, sprinkle on the salt and rub it around to ensure it's spread evenly.
4. Pour your oil to just cover the bottom of your pan. Let the pan heat up over medium heat.
5. Put your chicken in, flat against the bottom of the pan when the pan is hot enough to give you a little sizzle. Leave it for 5 or 6 minutes, until the chicken browns some. (This is a good time to start your string beans!)
6. Then turn it over, turn the heat down a little, sprinkle the remaining parsley on top and let it finish cooking. Don't over cook.
7. Test to see if it's done by pressing down a little on the meatiest part. You want it to have some give, but not be too soft. Once it's hard, it's overdone... don't let that happen!
8. Take it off the heat, out of the pan, and enjoy! Add an extra squirt of lime juice if you're so inclined.
   

String Beans

• 1 pound of frozen or fresh string beans.
• 1/2 tsp powdered garlic or 1-2 cloves crushed fresh garlic
• 1 juicy lime or 2-3 not so juicy limes
• 1 - 2 tsp of butter, depending on your taste - or none. It's not necessary, just tasty!
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine

1. Prepare your string beans: If you use fresh string beans, trim them and blanch them for 5-7 minutes or so in boiling salted water. If you're using frozen string beans, prepare according to directions.
2. When they're done, drain them and return them to the hot pan.
3. Drop in the butter first, and mix a little to melt it.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
   
5. Done! Delicious.