Chicken

We're well into our first week of the New Year. Have you made any New Year's resolutions? If you're like me - heck, if you're like many - the list includes exercise of some sort, eating right (which means healthy, but also yummy - who wants boring?!?! Not us!), and getting as healthy as possible.

The only thing I can help you with is the food aspect of it. That said, here are six recipes to get you started. Enjoy!

CHICKEN WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Magic Menus for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/868.shtml

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total), trimmed of cartilage and fat

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 large shallot, minced

2/3 cup low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in small bowl water

Directions

Cut each chicken breast half into 6 equal parts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Saute chicken in oil over moderate heat, turning, until the chicken is just opaque throughout, 4-5 minutes.

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon. Add shallot to the skillet and sauté, stirring until softened, about 1 minute. Add broth, wine (much of the alcohol will evaporate, leaving only the flavor), marjoram, and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil over moderate heat and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Simmer, gently spooning the sauce over the chicken, until heated through. Simmer until sauce is reduced by half.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 177; Protein: 27 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 155 mg; Cholesterol: 64 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings; Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/9.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

SANTA FE CHICKEN

This recipe begins, “This Santa Fe Chicken is a flavorful one-skillet dish and it's a snap to make. Serving size is 1 piece of chicken and 3/4 cup sauce.”

Yield: 6 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1200

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1200.shtml

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 pounds)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 green onions, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) Campbell's Healthy Request Condensed Healthy Request Tomato Soup

1/2 cup Pace Picante Sauce

1/2 cup water

1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup whole kernel corn

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Stir the chili powder and cumin in a small bowl. Season the chicken with the chili powder mixture.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes or until browned on both sides. Add the garlic and onions and cook and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the soup, picante sauce and water and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the beans and corn. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 308; Protein: 35 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 486 mg; Cholesterol: 78 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g

CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH KALE

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh onion, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon ground thyme

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 cups water (or chicken broth)

3/4 cup tomatoes, red, fresh, year round average, chopped or sliced

1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced

1/2 cup brown rice, medium grain, cooked (or substitute white rice)

1 cup kale, chopped (about one large leaf)

Directions

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add onion and carrot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5-8 minutes. Add thyme and garlic. Saute for one more minute.

Add water or broth, tomatoes, cooked rice, chicken, and kale. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Nutritional Facts: Servings 3; Calories 184.4; Total Carbs 17.1g; Dietary Fiber 2.8g; Sugars 3.3g; Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 1.1g; Unsaturated Fat 4.9g; Potassium 0mg; Protein 15.1g; Sodium 58.3mg; Dietary Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Meat; 1/2 Starch; 2 Vegetable; 2 Very Lean Meat

CHICKEN TENDERS WITH SPICY BLACK BEANS

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/738.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup canned black beans, undrained

1/2 cup chunky-style salsa

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Mexican-blend cheese (optional)

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or thinly sliced scallions

Directions

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the cumin, garlic powder, pepper, and salt, and rub some of the mixture over both sides of the chicken tenders.

Place the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken tenders and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, or until nicely browned.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to keep warm.

Add the black beans and salsa to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for a minute or two to heat through. To serve, place a quarter of the chicken tenders on each of 4 serving plates and top with a quarter of the black-bean mixture.

If desired, top each serving with some of the cheese and sprinkle with some of the cilantro or scallions. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 201; Protein: 29 g; Fat: 4.9 g; Sodium: 629 mg; Cholesterol: 66 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 3.5 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 4 Low-Fat Meat

LEMON-ROSEMARY CHICKEN BREASTS

Yield: 4 servings

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/653.shtml

Source: The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

Ingredients

2 lemons

1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 pound)

Directions

Prepare grill.

From 1 lemon, grate 2 teaspoons peel.

From 1/2 lemon, cut thin slices; reserve for garnish.

Squeeze juice from remaining 3 lemon halves into medium bowl.

Stir in lemon peel, rosemary, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.

Add chicken breast halves to bowl, turning to coat with lemon-juice mixture.

Arrange chicken on grill over medium heat and grill, brushing with remaining lemon-juice mixture in bowl, 5 minutes.

Turn chicken and grill until chicken loses its pink color throughout, about 5 minutes longer. Garnish with lemon slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 153; Protein: 26 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 364 mg; Cholesterol: 66 mg; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat