Try these saucy, quick-cooking chicken cutlets

Almonds and honey flavor chicken cutlets for this quick dinner.

Boneless, skinless chicken cutlets are about 1⁄2-inch thick. They cook in just four to five minutes. To keep them juicy and flavorful, a sauce made with orange juice and thickened with honey coats the chicken.

You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and flatten them with a meat bat or the bottom of a heavy pan to 1⁄2-inch thick.

A colorful side dish of zucchini strips and grape tomatoes tossed in olive oil and garlic completes the meal. It can be made quickly and easily in the microwave or on the stove top.

Tips: To shorten preparation time, slice the zucchini instead of cutting into strips. Two crushed garlic cloves can be used instead of minced garlic.

ALMOND CHICKEN WITH ORANGE HONEY SAUCE

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch, divided use

1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3⁄4 pound boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon orange juice, divided use

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

2 slices whole-grain country bread

Preparation

Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch, crushed red pepper and salt and pepper to taste on a plate. Dip chicken cutlets in mixture to coat both sides.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cutlets and sauté two minutes. Turn and sauté two minutes. A meat thermometer should read 165 degrees. Remove from the skillet.

Add 1⁄2 cup orange juice to pan, scraping up the brown bits. Add the honey and mix until honey is dissolved. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon orange juice together and add to the skillet. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken, about one minute.

Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle almonds on top. Serve bread on the side. Makes two servings.

GARLIC ZUCCHINI STRIPS AND GRAPE TOMATOES

1⁄2 pound zucchini (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup grape tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Wash zucchini and cut into strips about 1⁄2-inch thick and 2 inches long. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and add garlic. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and microwave on high two minutes. Remove and add the olive oil, tomatoes and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover again and let the tomatoes warm in the bowl while you prepare the chicken. Makes two servings.

Stove-top method: Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and zucchini. Sauté three minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté another two minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Makes two servings.

Linda Gassenheimer's latest book is "The Flavors of the Florida Keys." Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @lgassenheimer, or email linda@dinnerinminutes.com.