Chicken with Peppers
Spanish Chicken and Rice....While the chicken cooks on top of the stove, a hearty rice casserole bakes in the oven. The dish, made with tomatoes, garlic and chickpeas and spiked with saffron and paprika, goes extremely well with the chicken but is substantial enough to become the centerpiece of a meatless meal; just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken stock. A very low fat meal...only 22% of calories from fat.
1 tbsp olive oil
4 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium red bell peppers, cut lengthwise in 1/3-inch strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut lengthwise in 1/3-inch strips
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium jalapenos, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the chicken breasts and cook over moderate heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Add the bell peppers, onion, jalapenos, garlic and chicken stock to the skillet. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the bell pepper sauce on top.
Per serving: 228 calories, 5.6 grams fat.
Baked Rice with Chickpeas
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned
1 tsp mild paprika
small pinch of saffron threads
1 cup medium-grain rice, such as Valencia (about 7 oz.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400º. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock just to a boil over moderately high heat; keep warm.
In a small enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the garlic and stir over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, paprika and saffron and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the hot chicken stock and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cover the casserole and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is almost tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
Per serving: 292 calories, 9 g protein, 50 gm carbos, 6 g fat.
Pat’s notes: The chicken with peppers and baked rice with chickpeas were both very good. Sauteed swiss chard was a nice accompaniment. Article suggested a Honey-Orange Cake to accompany but I didn’t try the recipe. Suggested wine: a crisp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc by Cakebread Cellars or Fetzer Barrel Select. I was out of saffron so I omitted it and it worked fine.
Source: Michele Scicolone from 12/94 Food & Wine
Spanish Chicken and Rice....While the chicken cooks on top of the stove, a hearty rice casserole bakes in the oven. The dish, made with tomatoes, garlic and chickpeas and spiked with saffron and paprika, goes extremely well with the chicken but is substantial enough to become the centerpiece of a meatless meal; just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken stock. A very low fat meal...only 22% of calories from fat.
1 tbsp olive oil
4 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium red bell peppers, cut lengthwise in 1/3-inch strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut lengthwise in 1/3-inch strips
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium jalapenos, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the chicken breasts and cook over moderate heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Add the bell peppers, onion, jalapenos, garlic and chicken stock to the skillet. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the bell pepper sauce on top.
Per serving: 228 calories, 5.6 grams fat.
Baked Rice with Chickpeas
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned
1 tsp mild paprika
small pinch of saffron threads
1 cup medium-grain rice, such as Valencia (about 7 oz.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400º. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock just to a boil over moderately high heat; keep warm.
In a small enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the garlic and stir over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, paprika and saffron and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the hot chicken stock and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cover the casserole and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is almost tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
Per serving: 292 calories, 9 g protein, 50 gm carbos, 6 g fat.
Pat’s notes: The chicken with peppers and baked rice with chickpeas were both very good. Sauteed swiss chard was a nice accompaniment. Article suggested a Honey-Orange Cake to accompany but I didn’t try the recipe. Suggested wine: a crisp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc by Cakebread Cellars or Fetzer Barrel Select. I was out of saffron so I omitted it and it worked fine.
Source: Michele Scicolone from 12/94 Food & Wine