Chicken and Banana Fried Rice

I thought this would be something fun to try, because it seems like something we would eat in Haiti, since they grow bananas there and have chickens there and eat rice there. This came from the latest issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray, which my mom has a subscription to and gives to me after she reads it. Usually I (sorry to say) don't find much in there to make. I want to find more but we just don't usually eat that way. But there were, surprisingly, several in this one that I want to try. There is no picture for this recipe, which makes me wonder if they did that on purpose, because it did look kind of weird. Also, they printed the recipe in paragraph format, which is always hard to follow. For example, instead of having a list of ingredients and then the directions, they have it all in one paragraph...first sentence "heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil...halve 3 bananas lengthwise..." like that. I am not writing it like that for you...too hard to read and follow...and I am a full-service recipe provider.

Chicken and Banana Fried Rice
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3 bananas, halved lengthwise
3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced scallion whites
2 finely chopped serrano chilies (left these out)
3 cups cooked and cooled rice
3/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tsp soy sauce
chopped salted peanuts

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over med-high heat. Add the bananas to the pan, cut side down. Cook until deep golden, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Wipe out the skillet and heat remaining oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly before slicing thinly. Lower the heat to medium and add the scallion whites. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chilies and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the rice, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to toast, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the banana, chicken, scallion greens, and soy sauce. Sprinkle with the peanuts.

So we all unanimously agreed that cooked banana tastes weird. We all gave it a go, but none of us liked that aspect of it. The chicken and rice were actually very very good, and I think would be yummy to make by itself as a side dish or something. But I won't make the bananas again...