Chicken

Chicken-and-Veggie Stir-fry

I had a nice long three-day weekend this past weekend and got to spend all of Friday with a bunch of my friends eating a lot of soft pretzels and pasta and drinking a lot of beer.  And wine.  And bloody marys.  So, feeling a little heavy on the carbs, I decided I wanted to finish the weekend with something a little lighter, preferably with lots of veggies.  Chicken-and-Veggie Stir-fry turned out to be just what I wanted.

Thinly sliced chicken is cooked and stir-fried with yellow squash, broccoli, green onions and red pepper.  Small additions of lime juice, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce adds punches of flavor.  This is a very versatile recipe that could be made with any of your favorite vegetables or even tofu.  The recipe calls for broccolini but I used regular broccoli here and I also reduced the cornstarch on the chicken by less than half when I prepared this.  If you like a slightly crispier coating to your chicken, keep the cornstarch at the full amount.  I also used thinly sliced chicken breasts from my grocery store which cook quickly in stir-fries and are also cheaper than regular chicken breasts.  I really love a brightly colored and visually appealing dish like this, especially when it can be made in one pot.  Serve this over rice, quinoa, or simply eat it plain like I did.

 

The ingredients:

Sprinkle chicken with salt and toss with cornstarch.

Stir-fry the chicken in oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until golden brown and done, about 5 or 6 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Add broccoli and 1/4 cup broth to the pan and cover,  cooking 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Transfer to plate with chicken.

Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté bell pepper, squash and green onions for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Whisk together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and remaining 3/4 cup broth until cornstarch dissolves.  Add broth mixture, chicken, and broccoli to bell pepper mixture in skillet.  Cook, stirring often, 1 minute or until liquid thickens.

Stir in lime juice, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce.  

Serve over hot cooked rice, quinoa or enjoy as-is.

Additions:  None

Omissions: 

  • 1/2 of the cornstarch

Substitutions:

  • Broccoli

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Southern Living Magazine

Soft Black Bean Tostadas

With this Saturday being Cinco de Mayo, it’s got me craving a little Mexican food.  I love Mexican food but try not to eat it too often because of all of the fat that comes with it.  Making Mexican food at home can be a great solution because you are in control of the ingredients and can make it as healthy or decadent as you want.  These Soft Black Bean Tostadas are easy to make and are a great way to start the Cinco de Mayo celebration. 

Black beans are blended with spices and lime juice, and then smothered over a soft tortilla and topped with chicken and cheese.  After a quick trip under the broiler, the tostadas are topped with a homemade salsa, scallions, lettuce, and sour cream (I used Greek yogurt).  The salsa, made with avocado, tomato, scallions and lime, provides a fresh accent and the sour cream (or yogurt) brings that creamy coolness that tastes so good with Mexican food.  To keep calories down, consider using lowfat cheese, whole wheat tortilla, and either lowfat sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt.  Just make sure to keep some napkins nearby because these tostadas can be messy.  But they are so good, you won’t mind using your fingers to scoop up stray lettuce and salsa.  Have this with a fruity margarita or your favorite Mexican beer and celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

The ingredients:

Combine avocado, tomato, scallions, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine 2 tablespoons water, lime juice, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, and black beans in a blender and process until smooth.

Spread about 1/4 cup black bean mixture evenly over each tortilla.  Top each evenly with 1/4 cup chicken and 3 tablespoons cheese.

Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and tortilla edges are just beginning to brown.

Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup salsa, and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Cut each tortilla into 4 wedges.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Whole-wheat tortillas
  • Greek yogurt

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Barbecue Chicken Tenders with Mustard Glaze

I’m back!  Sorry it’s taken me a week to post anything new.  As I mentioned last week, I went to Chicago two weekends ago and after 3 ridiculously fun-filled days in my favorite city, it took me a full week to recover.  I kid you not.  That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Anyway, I’m back in the swing of things and was ready to do some cooking this weekend.  Chicken seemed to be absurdly expensive at the grocery store ($11, really??) so I opted instead for the less expensive chicken tenders.  I scanned through my recipes and found this recipe for Barbecue Chicken with Mustard Glaze that sounded easy and delicous so I decided to swap out the chicken thighs for my boneless tenders.  The chicken is rubbed with a mixture of brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika (my OBSESSION!), and salt.  As if that isn’t yummy enough, it’s also brushed with a easy glaze of ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar and grilled until perfectly cooked.  Extra glaze is set aside as a dipping sauce for this chicken but honestly, the flavor is already so good, you don’t even need the additional glaze.  This chicken is sweet and smoky and right up my alley.  Feel free to stick with the recipe and use thighs, just follow the cooking directions in the link.  Officially a new favorite. 

The ingredients:

Combine brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt a small bowl.

In another bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and dijon mustard with a whisk.

Rub the spice mixture evenly over chicken. 

Place on a grill pan coated with cooking spray heated to medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 8 minutes and turn over.  Brush with half of ketchup mixture and cook another 8 minutes.  Turn chicken over again and brush with remaining ketchup mixture. 

Continue cooking until done or until a thermometer registers 165°F.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Chicken tenders
  • Light brown sugar

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

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