Quick and Easy Chicken. Linda Gassenheimer

Frozen ingredients: frozen diced onion, frozen diced green bell pepper, frozen corn kernels

      • Condiments: reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing, reduced-fat mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar

      • Sauces: low-sodium tomato sauce, low-sodium pasta sauce, hot pepper sauce

      • Fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock

      • Vegetables: minced garlic, whole garlic, carrots, onion

      • Spices and herbs (less than 6 months old): ground cumin, dried oregano, dried thyme

      • Grains: microwave brown, white, and long-grain white rice

      Chicken Cooking and Storing Tips

       Cooking Temperatures

      • Boneless white meat should reach 165°F.

      • Boneless dark meat should reach 170°F.

      • Juices should be clear, not pink, when pierced by a fork.

      • Chicken should never be served medium or rare.

       Storing Chicken

      Refrigerate raw chicken immediately. It should not be stored at room temperature.

      Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not used within 2 days.

       Thawing Frozen Chicken

      Always thaw chicken in the refrigerator. Cut-up parts will take about 3–9 hours to thaw.

      For quick thawing, place the chicken (wrapped well) in cold water and change the water often.

       Safety

      Wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives, and other utensils used in preparing raw chicken with soapy hot water.

Shop Smart

      To help make these dinners in minutes, I have used ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. This guide isn’t a specific recommendation of any particular brand. You can choose from the many options available. The key is to shop smart by looking at the nutrition information provided in this section. I have listed the items for which I have found a range of products with variations in calorie, fat, carbohydrate, or sodium content to guide you toward healthy options. You may not find the exact values. Use this information as a guideline for what you choose. Once you find ingredients you like, keep them on hand so that you only have to shop for a few fresh ingredients.

      Look for the following:

      • Fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock or broth with 20 calories per cup and about 150 mg sodium per cup.

      • Low-sodium pasta sauce with 130 calories, less than 4.0 g fat, and 80 mg sodium per cup.

      • Low-sodium tomato sauce with 70 calories, 0.5 g fat, and 27 mg sodium per cup.

      • Low-sodium, no-sugar-added, diced tomatoes with 41 calories, 0.3 g fat, 0.04 g saturated fat, and 24 mg sodium per cup.

      • Light coconut milk with 150 calories, 12.0 g fat, and 45 mg sodium per cup.

      • Light tortillas, 8–9 inches in diameter, weighing 39 g (or 1 1/2 ounces), with 80 calories, 2.0 g fat, and 250 mg sodium per tortilla.

      • Corn tortillas, 6 inches in diameter, weighing 26 g (a little under 1 ounce), with 58 calories, 7.0 g fat, and 3 mg sodium per tortilla.

      • Whole-wheat tortillas, 8 inches in diameter, weighing 48 g (a little under 2 ounces), with 130 calories, 2 g fat, and 330 mg sodium per tortilla.

      • Whole-wheat pita breads, about 6 inches in diameter, weighing 64 g (a little over 2 ounces), with 170 calories, 1.7 g fat, and 284 mg sodium each.

      • Canned fat-free refried beans with 182 calories, 1.0 g fat, and 1012 mg sodium per cup.

      • Chimichurri sauce with 90 calories, 9.5 g fat, and 33 mg sodium per tablespoon (Example: Badia Chimichurri Steak Sauce).

      • Ground chicken made from chicken breast meat only. If the label just says “ground chicken,” then skin, fat, and dark meat may have been added.

      • Low-sodium ketchup with 16 calories and 3 mg sodium per tablespoon.

All-American

       Almond-Maple Chicken with Hot Pepper Succotash

       Cajun Chicken with Caramelized Onion Rice

       Chicken in Sherry-Mushroom Sauce with Herbed Quinoa

       Chicken in Red Wine with Parsley Noodles

       Creole Chicken with Brown Rice

       Devil’s Chicken with Sautéed Garlic Potatoes

       Dilled Chicken Parcels with Parsley Rice

       Fresh Herbed Chicken with Red Potatoes and Green Beans

       Horseradish-Encrusted Chicken with Garlic Sweet Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas

       Hot Pepper Chicken with Sweet Pepper Potatoes

       Lemon-Pepper Chicken with Carrot and Zucchini Cannellini Beans

       Mango Salsa Pan-Roasted Chicken and Hot Peanut Rice

       Orange-Honey Chicken with Garlic Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes

       Oven-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn and Lima Beans

       Pecan-Crusted, Honey-Glazed Chicken with Rosemary-Garlic Cannellini Beans

       Sangria-Braised Pulled Chicken Sliders with Quick Slaw

       Savory Sage Chicken with Zucchini and Tomato Rice

       Southwestern Chicken Burgers with Tortilla Salad

       Stout-Soused Chicken with Potatoes and Leeks

       Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Egg Noodles and Peas

       Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Tomato and Bean Salad

Almond-Maple Chicken with Hot Pepper Succotash

      A maple syrup glaze and sliced almonds give extra flavor and crunch to chicken breasts. Hot pepper jelly adds zing to sautéed corn and lima beans. The Hot Pepper Succotash can be made in minutes in the microwave.

      Countdown:

      • Place succotash in microwave.

      • While succotash cooks, make chicken dish.

      Almond-Maple Chicken

      Serves: 2 / Serving Size: 5 ounces chicken, 1 tablespoon sauce

      3/4 pound boneless,