Chicken is an extremely healthy option to go with instead of fat laden meat, which do not fall under the lean meat category. For a healthier lifestyle, switch to white meat which is high on protein and essential minerals, and extremely low in fat. I don't have to elaborate on how a bucket of fried chicken is the staple diet for those who live in the US. Being a country that knows how to live up to the word 'gluttony', their king-sized, ridiculously over-the-top portions, would make any nation feel uneasy.
Pigging out in a single sitting, a meal that is over 3,000 calories easily - is not what healthy living is all about. In fact it is pretty insulting to those who switch to a healthier way of life. All we can do is nod in disapproval at those who stuff their faces for a living (Adam Richman, I hope you're listening), and hope that people wake up and smell the broccoli eventually, and not the chili tacos with fries.
The problem today is that people live off the media to function - advertising being the bad guy here. So when the country teeters towards that all too familiar line that crosses over to obesity, the ones who want to make a change like you and I, can only hope that we serve as an inspiration to them someday.
Programs like The Dr. Oz Show really give you a reality check, especially when health issues linked to overeating and obesity come to the fore. So the next time someone suggests eating fried chicken that has been doused with all kinds of rubbish to make you bigger while storing away deteriorative toxins - cook them these low-calorie chicken meals instead.
Low Fat Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
Let's look into some recipes now that are sure to have you drooling over, where family and friends can join in on the healthy dinner/lunch. These low-calorie meals serve as a great way to indulge, without quite having to worry about your waistline and health.
Crispy Baked Chicken Breast with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients You'll Need
1 chicken breast fillet
2 medium-sized tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger
4 basil leaves
a cup of panko
1 egg
2 tablespoons of flour
1 large red onion
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
a teaspoon of crushed pepper
Preparation Instructions
Take a shallow pan (non-stick) and pour into this the two tablespoons of olive oil once the pan heats up generously. On a medium flame, drop into the hot oil your chicken breast fillet (bruise the chicken breast using a sharp knife for even cooking), and wait for 4 minutes before flipping it over to its underside. You'll notice a nice browning of the chicken taking place. Carefully then dunk this into an egg wash that consists of one whole egg, a pinch of salt, crushed pepper and flour. Then dump this onto a heap of panko, coating it evenly. Place this in an oven-safe dish, and slide it into a preheated oven of 210F for 8 minutes. While that moistens away and turns crispy to the bite, we move on now to our onions.
The second step is preparing the caramelized onions, which is simple to make. Just slice up your onions roughly, letting the long curvy circles fall into the shallow pan. On a low flame, saut your onions along with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes. Once they start to break down and turn a deep brown in color, turn the gas off and place these on a kitchen paper towel. Slide the chicken out of the oven, and keep this to one side to cool.
For the sauce, puree the tomatoes in a blender, after slicing them up roughly. Then in goes the garlic, ginger and basil and a pinch of salt. Once you blitz your ingredients into a smooth paste, pour out the contents into a small bowl. Garnish your chicken fillet with the caramelized onions, and give yourself a real treat. You'll find that the panko gives way to a great crunchy bite, while sinking your teeth into the moist center of the fillet. The sauce serves as a savory accompaniment which gives the meal an added punch in flavor.
Baked Chicken Breast with Spicy Lemon Sauce
Ingredients You'll Need
1 chicken breast fillet
1 medium-sized lemon
a cup of chives
A sprig of cilantro
2 teaspoons of chili flakes
1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
a teaspoon of crushed pepper
Two tablespoons of olive oil
a cup of lemongrass
2 dollops of non fat cream
Salt to taste
Preparation Instructions
The previous night, leave your chicken to marinate using a marinade to help it get saturated with flavor, while also getting the fillet's juices flowing. Take a small zip lock bag - before placing your chicken breast in it - remember to puncture the fillet randomly to allow the ingredients to seep through. Rub onto the fillet the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, cinnamon and cilantro. Massage it into the punctured crevices and then place this into the zip lock bag; store it away in the refrigerator.
The next morning, keep the zip lock bag with the fillet to one side of the kitchen counter and allow it to reach room temperature an hour before you commence your cooking. Into a hot non-stick pan, add in your olive oil and lemongrass, sauting this for about 30 seconds, before adding in your chili flakes and chives.
Briefly toss this about (20 seconds) and then take the pan off the gas. In a blender, combine together dollops of non-fat cream, along with the pan's contents, reducing it nicely before adding juice from half a lemon, once the desired consistency is attained. Add a pinch of salt or more to taste and keep the creamy sauce to one side.
Take the chicken fillet and directly place it into the pan, frying it for 4 minutes on each side before placing it on an oven-safe dish to allow it to cook further. Baking ensures that the meat is cooked right through, where the oven should be preset at 210F and timed at 8 minutes before you place the oven dish inside. Once the set time's up, enjoy your chicken fillet and spicy lemon sauce. Season with pepper before you devour your meal.
Baked Chicken Breast with Mushroom Brown Rice
Ingredients You'll Need
1 chicken breast fillet
a cup of button mushrooms
a cup of brown rice (boiled)
Salt to taste
A sprig of cilantro
1 teaspoon of crushed pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 green chillies
Two tablespoons of olive oil
Preparation Instructions
In a hot non-stick pan, let your chicken fillet cook in the olive oil turning it over after 4 minutes to let the other side brown as well. Season with pepper and paprika before placing it in the oven at 210F (pre-heated) for 8 minutes. While that happens, saut your mushrooms using the same non-stick pan, and wait for them to slightly brown (don't overcrowd them). Then throw in your cooked brown rice, making sure that all of it gets equally fried.
Then add to this after 5 minutes, the chopped green chillies, salt and cilantro giving it one final stir before plating up the contents of your pan. Take the chicken fillet out of the oven and let it stand for a while until it cools down. Then shred your chicken and pile it atop your rice, and garnish with more cilantro. Feel free to add a little more salt to your meal, if needed.
The above mentioned baked chicken breast recipes will give you a whole different cooking experience in the kitchen, where eating your favorite meats is all right just as long as you cook it in a healthy way. Avoid deep-frying foods and frying meats in butter or other fat-based concentrates, and stick to virgin or extra virgin olive oil for frying, or just bake it away in the oven to give your meat a more tender finish. Hearty and healthy eating!
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