Tuesday, January 27, 2009

A Healthy and Delicious Chicken Dinner

By Jana Banks

Are you getting the urge to eat healthier? It happens to many of us at this time of year having packed on extra pounds over the holidays and a long winter spent indoors. So we usually attempt to eat a healthier diet, but many of the programs and suggestions can seem pretty bland. Traditionally we're told to eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and lean meats. One of the popular lean meats often recommended is chicken, and there's a good reason for that.

The wonderful thing about poultry and especially chicken is the variety of ways you can prepare it, producing very different tasting dishes. Chicken mixes well with all kinds of sauces and side dishes, making it a very simple and tasty dish to cook. Whether you prefer grilled, baked, stir-fried, spicy, or sweet, you'll find a wealthy of great recipes that will make it easy to add poultry to your healthy diet.

Chicken, especially if you choose to make cutlets or cubed style, cooks quickly making it easy to cook even during your hectic workweek. One sample menu could simply be cutlets coated in a bit of lemon and herbs or marinade, baked in your oven and served with a side of herbed risotto and a fresh balsamic salad. In less than 25-minutes you'll have a satisfying and delicious meal for your whole family to enjoy. Another timesaver is making double portions so you can enjoy the meal again later in the week.

Now if you're like many people and you own an electric indoor grill, they you can easily cook up your favorite barbecued chicken anytime. For fun, make some easy, zesty chicken kebobs. You just cut up your chicken into smaller pieces and place them on a skewer with some of your favorite veggie and fruit pieces. Add a few of your family's favorite side dishes like wild rice and fresh lemon asparagus and you've got a quick, no-fuss, delightful dish sure to please your family or your guests.

Another favorite cooking style is the stir-fry method. Many people use a wok for stir-frying but any good-size skillet works quite well for this method. Stir-fry is a great low-fat cook style that can be sweetened or spiced to your own personal tastes. Cut up your chicken with some crisp vegetables, cook, and serve over a bed of brown or wild rice.

If you're kick-starting your healthy diet and are ready to add some more chicken into your diet, check out the web for some wonderful free recipes offered on the many recipe sites available. You'll also find a lot of great cookbooks available for purchase in your favorite bookstore, with beautiful photos and serving suggestions - so why not treat yourself to a new cookbook too? It will inspire you create all sorts of wonderful dishes. - 16459

About the Author: