Category: Poultry

Smothered Chicken

Seves 3: Per serving – 1 Lean, 3 Green, 3 Condiments, and 2 Healthy Fats.

Ingredients:
21 oz Chicken, breast, boneless, skinless (raw)
1 cup Raw Mushrooms, White
1/2 cup Raw Peppers, Green
1/2 cup Raw Peppers, Red
1 cup Raw Squash, Summer, Zucchini
1 Tbsp Butter, light
1 tsp Oil, olive
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Spicy Seasoning Salt
2 tsp Garlic
3/4 tsp Pepper
3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3/4 tsp Celery Salt
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
3/4 tsp Onion Powder
1 1/2 tsp Paprika

Parsley for garnish

Preparation:
1. To make the spicy seasoning salt: Combine 1-1/2 tsp of each: paprika, salt and garlic powder. Add 3/4 tsp of each: pepper,onion powder, cayenne, and celery salt. Mix.
2. Flatten the chicken breasts with a meat mallet and season on both sides with seasoning salt, garlic powder, and pepper
3. Heat indoor or outdoor grill to high.
4. Grill chicken about 3 minutes per side or until done. Keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, dice the peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms into medium-sized pieces. Mince the garlic, if using cloves (1 clove=1 tsp). Saute peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic on medium high heat until tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
6. Season with 1/2 tsp seasoning salt. Serve with hot veggie mixture over chicken. Divide portion into 2 servings

Quick Chicken and Vegetable Soup

from http://www.sandyskitchenadventures.com

Green Chile Cabbage Enchilada

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 1 Leaner protein, 3 vegetables, 1 condiment

1 head of cabbage – total weight of cooked leaves 22 oz
14 oz shredded chicken (I used part of a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
2 (7 oz) cans of chopped green chilies
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 ounces shredded low fat cheese

Chicken Tagine

Slightly revised from cooking.nytimes.com

Makes 9 servings

Per serving

½ Lean protein serving

1 vegetable serving

3 condiments

• 9 chicken thighs, approximately 3 ¼ pounds
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons spice mix
• 2 tablespoons of chicken broth to marinade chicken instead of olive oil
• 10 sprays olive oil spray to sear chicken
• ¾ pound Roma tomatoes
• 2 ½ cups cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 1/2 cup green onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium
• 3 tablespoons preserved lemons, approximately 2 lemons, roughly chopped
• ½ bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stems discarded

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SPICE MIX

• 3 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
• ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

PREPARATION

1. Combine the spices in a dry sauté pan set over low heat, and toast them gently until they release their fragrance, 2 minutes or so. Transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix, along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a large bowl of ice water to the side. Core the tomatoes, and score an X on their bottoms. Boil the cauliflower florets in the water for 3 minutes, then submerge them in the ice water. Boil the tomatoes for 20 seconds, and chill them in the ice water as well. Remove the cauliflower when it is cold, and pat the florets dry. Peel the skin off the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters lengthwise. Trim away the seeds to make petals.
4. Heat olive oil spray in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, and sear the chicken in batches, starting skin-side down, until the thighs are browned. Remove the chicken to a large Dutch oven. Remove all but two tablespoons of the fat in pan, then return it to the heat, and brown the cauliflower and add to the chicken.
5. Reduce heat, and add the onion, garlic, ginger and saffron. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and chicken stock, and simmer until reduced by 1/3.
6. Pour sauce over the chicken and cauliflower, cover the pot and transfer to oven for 20 minutes. Remove, stir in the tomatoes, preserved lemon, then cover the pot again and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken in the pot, garnished with the cilantro leaves. Reserve remaining spice mix for the next batch or another use. It keeps well in a sealed container.

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers

Makes 2 lean & green meals

3 red, yellow, orange or green bell peppers
very small amount of olive oil
pinch of low sodium salt
3 small-ish chicken breasts (about 12 oz cooked)
1/4 cup shredded light or low fat cheese
4 tsp of a comparable low-salt fajita mix
Squeeze of lime
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro

Put the chicken breasts in a crock pot on high with 4 Tbls of water for 4 hours.  After cooking, shred the chicken. Squeeze half a lime over it and add cilantro.  Add the 1/2 of a package of medifast fajita seasoning. Stir.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut bell peppers in half lengthways and trim off stem and remove seeds. Place peppers face down on a baking sheet and lightly rub tops of peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 12 minutes or until peppers are soft and getting browned.

Scoop the meat mixture into the “cup” of the roasted peppers. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake again for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with  Zucchini Noodles

Slightly adapted from ifoodreal.com 

Makes 3 servings

Per serving

1 Leaner protein

3 vegetables

3 condiments

• 3 large zucchini – total weight `1.75 pounds
• 1.75 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp small jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for very hot version)
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Using a spiralizer or mandoline, make zucchini noodles, transfer into a large bowl and set aside. You can also chop zucchini into any size pieces, if you don’t have the gadgets for making zucchini noodles.
2. Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on high heat and add chicken. Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and ground black pepper towards the end, stir and cook for another minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Wipe clean or wash and pat dry the skillet and return to the stove on high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add zucchini noodles. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add previously cooked chicken, jalapeños, lime juice and cilantro. Stir gently and serve hot.

Storage Instructions: Refrigerate covered for up to 48 hours.

Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach, and Goat Cheese

Serves 2

Per serving

2.5 ounces protein

3 vegetables

3 condiments

1 fat

INGREDIENTS

1 medium spaghetti squash – use 2 cups cooked squash

2 teaspoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 slices low sodium Jennie-O turkey bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 5-ounce bag baby spinach

2 ounces low fat soft goat cheese, crumbled

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 . Cut about half an inch off of the top and bottom of the spaghetti squash, and discard those pieces. Cut the squash crosswise into rings about 1-inch thick, and run your knife around the inside      of the rings to cut the seeds out. Drizzle the olive oil over the baking sheet, then spread the squash rings over it, moving them around a little so that the undersides are evenly coated with a little        bit of oil. Season with salt and pepper, then flip the rings over and season again.

3. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. When the squash is done, set it aside on the counter while you cook the bacon and spinach. It’ll be easier to handle if you let it cool for 10 minutes before taking it apart.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the bacon slices. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, just until the very edges of the bacon start to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered out, about 5 more minutes.
5. When the bacon is done, turn the heat up to medium and add the red wine vinegar while stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet. This will deglaze your pan, so that all of the caramelized bits of bacon end up in your food and not stuck to the bottom of your pan.  Stir everything together just to combine, then add the spinach, one handful at a time, stirring after every addition so that the spinach wilts and there’s room in your skillet for more. When all of the spinach is wilted, turn the burner off under the skillet and let everything sit in there while you finish the squash.
6. Peel the skin away from the squash, then use a fork or your hands to pull the strands apart, adding them to the skillet as you go. When all of the squash is in the skillet, add the goat cheese and toss everything together just to combine.
7. Divide between two plates and serve immediately.

**You may prepare the squash in the microwave before hand if you are in a hurry by poking holes into the squash and microwaving 2 minutes at a time, then rotating the squash until soft inside.

Foil-Baked Asian Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Per serving

1 Leaner protein

1 fat

1 ½ condiments

2 vegetables

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 4 – 9 -oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 11 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
• 4 teaspoons teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Tear off 4 – 10″ squares of aluminum foil. Brush each of the squares with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place 1 cup of spinach on each square, slightly off center. Top with a chicken breast half and a few mushrooms. Drizzle 1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce over each portion; sprinkle with salt.
• Fold each piece of foil over to cover the chicken and vegetables. Crimp edges together tightly to seal. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.