POULTRY
CHICKEN ALLA DIAVOLA
Serves 4
Sightly, succulent, and mercifully simple is this flattened, marinated grilled chicken—a dish with a parentage claimed by both the Florentines and the Romans. The traditional recipe calls for a whole chicken to be spatchcocked (cut down the backbone and opened like a book). If your fat budget allows, use the whole bird. Because chicken skin and dark meat are high in fat, I call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts below. I’ve also turned up the heat a few notches by adding mustard and hot pepper flakes to the traditional marinade. After all, alla diavola means “in the style of the devil”!
4 half chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
FOR THE MARINADE:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns, or to taste
½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
coarse sea salt
1. Trim any fat or sinews off the chicken breasts. Gently flatten each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to achieve a uniform thickness, using a scalopine pounder or the side of a cleaver. Arrange the chicken breasts in a nonreactive baking dish.
2. Combine the lemon juice and mustard in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Whisk in the oil, peppercorns, and pepper flakes. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning the breasts once or twice. Marinate the chicken, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
3. Preheat the grill to high. Oil the grate. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked, 2 to 3 minutes per side, seasoning with salt and basting with any extra marinade. I like to serve chicken alla diavola with arugula salad.
320 CALORIES PER SERVING; 53 G PROTEIN; 9 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 159 MG SODIUM; 144 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN ADOBO WITH SPICY BLACK BEAN SALSA
Serves 4
Here’s a summery chicken dish from my hometown, Miami. The chicken is steeped in a tangy Cuban marinade called adobo. (The basic ingredients for adobo are garlic, cumin, and sour orange or lime juice.) The chicken is then grilled, sliced, and served with a colorful salsa of mango and black beans. Scotch bonnets are the world’s hottest peppers, but you can certainly use a milder chili if desired.
1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FOR THE ADOBO MARINADE:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup fresh lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
FOR THE SALSA:
1½ cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, mint, or basil
½ scotch bonnet chili, seeded and minced (optional)
salt, to taste
3 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
2 to 3 teaspoons brown sugar
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a blender and purée until smooth. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be highly seasoned. Combine the chicken and marinade in a nonreactive bowl and stir to mix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken for 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Combine the ingredients for the salsa in a mixing bowl and toss to mix. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lime juice, or sugar to taste. The salsa should be highly seasoned. It tastes best made shortly before serving. You can certainly have all the ingredients ready ahead of time and mix them at the last minute.
3. Preheat the barbecue grill or broiler to high. Drain the chicken breasts and blot dry, reserving a little marinade. Grill the breasts until cooked, about 2 minutes per side, basting with the marinade. Transfer the breasts to a cutting board and thinly slice across the grain.
4. Mound the salsa onto plates or a platter. Arrange the chicken slices on and around the salsa and serve at once.
Note: For convenience in serving, you can also grill the chicken ahead of time and serve at room temperature.
256 CALORIES PER SERVING; 27 G PROTEIN; 3 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 32 G CARBOHYDRATE; 52 MG SODIUM; 55 MG CHOLESTEROL
Chicken Adobo with Spicy Black Bean Salsa
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH TANGERINE GLAZE
Serves 4
Here’s a Floridian twist on a Chinese classic. The perfumed sweetness of the tangerines counterpoints the saltiness of the soy sauce. (If tangerines aren’t in season, you can use oranges.) The best way to remove the zest (the oil-rich outer rind) from the tangerines is to use a vegetable peeler.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
FOR THE MARINADE/GLAZE:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup fresh tangerine juice, plus 5½-inch strips tangerine zest
6 tablespoons honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, white part minced, green part thinly sliced for garnish
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anises (available at Asian markets—optional)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat or sinew. Cut the breasts into halves.
2. Combine the ingredients for the marinade/glaze in a mixing bowl and whisk until the honey has dissolved. Arrange the chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Pour half the marinade on top. Marinate the chicken breasts in this mixture in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning several times.
3. Prepare the glaze: Place the remaining marinade in a saucepan and boil until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Strain the glaze into a small bowl.
4. Just before serving, preheat the grill to high.
5. Drain the chicken breasts and blot dry. Brush the breasts with sesame oil. Grill the chicken until cooked, about 2 minutes per side, brushing generously with glaze. Sprinkle the chicken with chopped scallion greens and sesame seeds and serve at once.
Note: To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan, until aromatic and the white seeds are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
297 CALORIES PER SERVING; 29 G PROTEIN; 5 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 33 G CARBOHYDRATE; 2,124 MG SODIUM; 73 MG CHOLESTEROL
TANDOORI CHICKEN
Serves 4
Tandoori refers to a style of cooking that originated in northeast India. Meats were marinated in a tangy mixture of yogurt and spices, then grilled on vertical spits in an urn-shaped oven called a tandoor. In recent years, tandoori has spread far beyond the boundaries of India. Indeed, many Western chefs have adopted this high-flavor, high-heat method of cooking. Most Indian cooks use food coloring to obtain the Day-Glo orange hue associated with traditional tandoori. I prefer the natural if somewhat paler look of tomato paste, but you can certainly use food coloring if you desire.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, peeled
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cored
FOR THE MARINADE:
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 shallot or ½ small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 to 3 bird peppers or other hot chilies, thinly sliced (optional; see Note)
2 cups plain non-fat yogurt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
salt to taste
lemon wedges for serving
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Cut the breasts into 1-inch squares. Cut the onion lengthwise in quarters, then cut each quarter widthwise in half. Cut the pepper into 1-inch squares.
2. Prepare the marinade. Finely chop the ginger, shallot, garlic, and chilies in a food processor or by hand. Work in the yogurt, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Purée to a smooth paste. Add the spices and salt to taste. The mixture should be highly seasoned. Transfer the marinade to a nonreactive bowl and stir in the chicken. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.
3. Thread the chicken pieces onto metal or bamboo skewers, alternating with the onion and bell pepper. Preheat the grill to high. Grill the kebabs until the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the tandoori to a platter and serve with lemon wedges and rice.
Note: Bird peppers are fiery, tiny, ridged chilies sold in Indian and Asian markets. But any hot peppers will do. For a milder tandoor, omit the chilies. For extra flavor, use whole spices. Roast them in a dry skillet until fragrant, then grind them in a spice mill.
278 CALORIES PER SERVING; 39 G PROTEIN; 4 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 21 G CARBOHYDRATE; 292 MG SODIUM; 84 MG CHOLESTEROL
JERK CHICKEN
Serves 8
Ten years ago, few people had ever heard of jerk. Today, we can barely live without it. Born in Boston Beach in northeast Jamaica, this fiery barbecue has taken the world by storm. The heart and soul of Jamaican jerk is the “seasoning,” a fiery marinade made from dozens of tropical herbs and condiments. The dominant flavors in jerk seasoning are the tongue-blistering Scotch bonnet chili, the fragrant pimiento (as Jamaicans call allspice), and escallions (pungent Caribbean chives—these are hard to find in the U.S., but scallions make a good substitute). But equally important is the cooking method: a slow smoky grilling over fruitwood. Here’s a simplified recipe that can be cooked on a barbecue grill. The wood chips help give your jerk the traditional smoky flavor, but the recipe can be prepared without them.
8 chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs attached) or 4 chicken breasts (bone in)
3 tablespoons lime juice or distilled white vinegar
FOR THE SEASONING:
2 to 4 Scotch bonnet chilies (stemmed—for a milder jerk, seed the chilies before grinding)
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup lime juice or distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
kosher salt or coarse sea salt to taste
1 cup hardwood chips, such as hickory or mesquite (optional)
1. Trim off any lumps of fat from the chicken legs. If using chicken breasts, cut them in half, but leave the rib bones in. (To further reduce the fat, remove the skin.) Wash the chicken with lime juice or vinegar. Using the tip of a paring knife, make ¼-inch-deep holes in the meat. Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. Prepare the jerk seasoning. Finely chop the chilies, scallions, onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Correct the seasoning, adding lime juice, brown sugar, or salt. (Jamaicans use a lot of salt. You can certainly be more moderate.) The seasoning should be intensely flavorful and almost unbearably hot.
3. Spread the seasoning over the chicken with a rubber spatula, stuffing it into the holes. Marinate the chicken for 3 to 6 hours, turning several times. (The longer you marinate it, the stronger the jerk flavor will be.) Soak the wood chips in cold water for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the barbecue grill to low. Loosely wrap the wood chips in heavy-duty foil (or place in a foil pie pan) and place on the coals away from where you’ll be grilling the chicken. Grill the chicken until cooked, 10 to 15 minutes per side, turning to ensure even cooking. Keep the grill covered to hold in the smoke. Serve the chicken at once, with a cold Jamaican beer such as Dragon Stout or Red Stripe.
Note: To achieve the right flavor, you must use scotch bonnet chilies, or their cousins, Mexican habaneros. If you can’t find scotch bonnets, use fresh jalapeño chilies and a few tablespoons of a scotch bonnet–based hot sauce, such as Busha Browne’s Pukka Sauce or Matook’s from Trinidad. Warning: If you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves when handling scotch bonnets. (The scotch bonnet is fifty times hotter than a jalapeño!) Scotch bonnets are available at West Indian and Mexican markets, gourmet shops, and at many supermarkets.
228 CALORIES PER SERVING; 27 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 7 G CARBOHYDRATE; 476 MG SODIUM; 89 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN GRILLED IN HOJA SANTA LEAVES AND SERVED WITH OAXACAN MOLE VERDE
Serves 4
This exact dish may never have been served in Mexico, but it features a uniquely Mexican ingredient, an herb so divinely flavored that its Spanish name is hoja santa, meaning “holy leaf.” Imagine a soft, silky, emerald green, heart-shaped leaf with a peppery anise flavor that may remind you a little of sassafras. Then simply take your imagination to a Mexican market and you’ll have a gustatory experience that borders on the religious. If you can’t find fresh hoja santa, you can approximate the flavor by grilling the chicken wrapped in lettuce leaves with sprigs of fresh fennel leaves or thin slices of bulb fennel.
FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup fresh orange juice
8 fresh hoja santa leaves or 8 large Boston lettuce leaves, 8 sprigs fennel leaves, or 8 paper-thin slices fennel
1 batch Oaxacan Mole Verde (here) (optional)
1. Trim any sinews or fat off the chicken breasts. Cut each half breast section in half lengthwise to obtain pieces about 4 inches long and 1½ inches wide.
2. Toss the chicken breasts with the oil and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour the orange juice over the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes, turning once or twice. Meanwhile, light your grill and build a hot fire.
3. If you are using hoja santa leaves, wash them and blot dry, but don’t blanch. If you’re using lettuce leaves, you’ll need to blanch them in rapidly boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then refresh them under cold water, drain, and blot dry. Wrap each piece of chicken in one hoja santa leaf and tie shut with string or secure with a toothpick. If you’re using lettuce leaves, place a sprig of fennel or fennel slice on top of a piece of the chicken and wrap in the lettuce leaf. Tie with string or pin shut with a toothpick.
4. Grill the chicken bundles until the meat is cooked, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning with tongs. If you are serving the chicken with mole verde, spoon it onto four plates and set two chicken bundles on top of each. Be sure to remove the string or toothpicks.
Note: I like to serve the grilled chicken over Oaxacan Mole Verde (in the following recipe), but if you’re pressed for time, the chicken is quite tasty without it.
331 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 54 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 5 G CARBOHYDRATE; 127 MG SODIUM; 144 MG CHOLESTEROL
MANGO AND CHICKEN STIR-FRY
Serves 4
Asia meets the Caribbean in this tropical fruity stir-fry. Let mangoes ripen at room temperature until squeezably soft and very fragrant.
1¼ pounds skinless chicken thighs or 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes
¼ pound young asparagus or slender green beans
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh orange or tangerine juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 to 1½ tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 scallions, white part minced, green part finely chopped
½ cup stemmed fresh mint leaves or cilantro
1. Wash and dry the chicken and trim off any fat. If using chicken thighs, cut the meat off the bones and slice as thinly as possible. If using chicken breasts, cut across the grain on the diagonal into ¼-inch strips. Cut these strips into 2-inch pieces.
2. Peel the mango and cut the flesh off the seed. Cut the mango into ½-inch cubes and set aside. Snap the fibrous ends off the asparagus and cut the stalks on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. If using green beans, remove the ends and strings and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.
3. Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, honey, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. The recipe can be prepared ahead to this stage.
4. Just before serving, heat a nonstick wok or frying pan over high heat. Swirl in the oil. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant but not brown, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and asparagus or green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir the sauce again and add it to the wok. Continue stir-frying until the chicken is cooked and nicely coated with sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the mango, scallion greens, and mint leaves and cook for 20 seconds. Serve at once.
Note: Some people are allergic to mango sap, so wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.
240 CALORIES PER SERVING; 18 G PROTEIN; 11 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 19 G CARBOHYDRATE; 832 MG SODIUM; 58 MG CHOLESTEROL
Mango and Chicken Stir-Fry
GINGERY CHICKEN AND GREEN BEAN STIR-FRY
Serves 4
For the best results use “young” ginger, the kind that’s very tender and juicy, with a thin skin and virtually no fibers. Look for young ginger in Asian markets. My favorite bean for this dish is the skinny French haricot vert, but any slender green bean will do. Oyster sauce is a tangy condiment available in the ethnic-foods section of most supermarkets.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces haricot verts or green beans
FOR THE SAUCE:
¼ cup chicken stock (see here)
2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons cornstarch
TO FINISH THE DISH:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon thinly slivered fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, white part minced, green part cut into 1-inch pieces for garnish
1. Wash and dry the chicken and trim off any fat. Cut the chicken breasts across the grain on the diagonal into thin ⅛-inch strips. Snap the ends off the green beans.
2. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. The recipe can be prepared ahead to this stage.
3. Just before serving, heat a nonstick wok or frying pan over high heat. Swirl in the oil. Add the gingers, garlic, and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant but not brown, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and green beans and stir-fry until almost cooked, about 2 minutes. Stir the sauce again to redissolve the cornstarch and add it to the wok. Continue stir-frying until the chicken is cooked and nicely coated with sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens and serve at once.
204 CALORIES PER SERVING; 22 G PROTEIN; 6 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 12 G CARBOHYDRATE; 440 MG SODIUM; 55 MG CHOLESTEROL
LEMONGRASS CHICKEN
Serves 4
Lemongrass chicken is to Vietnamese cooking what coq au vin is to French cooking. This simple dish was a mainstay of my diet during my student days in Paris. Native to Southeast Asia, lemongrass is a fibrous, scallion-shaped herb with a delicate grassy-lemony flavor that has none of the acidity found in lemon juice. Fresh lemongrass can be found at Asian markets, specialty greengrocers, and at many supermarkets. If unavailable use dried lemongrass (soak in hot water for 20 minutes). Or use 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest.
1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1½ tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
1 to 2 stalks fresh lemongrass (2 tablespoons minced)
1½ tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or mint for garnish (optional)
1. Wash and dry the chicken and trim off any fat. Cut the chicken breasts across the grain on the diagonal into ⅛-inch strips. Cut these strips into 2-inch pieces. Combine the chicken, honey, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in a bowl and stir to mix. Let marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Trim the green leaves and root end off the lemongrass stalk and strip off the outside leaves. What remains will be a greenish cream-colored core 4- to 5-inches long and ¼- to ½-inch thick. Mince this core finely; you’ll need about 2 tablespoons.
3. Just before serving, heat a wok (preferably nonstick) over high heat and swirl in the oil. Add the garlic and lemongrass and stir-fry until fragrant but not brown, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the pieces turn white, about 1 minute.
4. Move the chicken to the sides of the wok and add the onion to the center. Stir-fry until the onion loses its rawness, about 1 minute. Mix the chicken back in the center of the wok, add the remaining fish sauce, continue stir-frying until the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding honey or fish sauce to taste. The dish should be a little sweet and salty. Sprinkle the chicken with the cilantro, if desired, and serve at once.
274 CALORIES PER SERVING; 32 G PROTEIN; 9 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 15 G CARBOHYDRATE; 185 MG SODIUM; 85 MG CHOLESTEROL
SINGAPORE BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN
Serves 4
Black pepper crab is one of the national dishes of Singapore. This recipe combines the robust flavor of the seafood dish with America’s favorite meat for stir-frying, chicken.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tablespoons chicken stock (see here) or water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 to 1½ tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 to 3 chili peppers, minced (for a milder dish, seed the chilies)
2 scallions, white part minced, green part finely chopped for garnish
2 to 3 teaspoons coarsely ground black peppercorns
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice
4 ounces snow peas, snapped, strings removed
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Cut the breasts across the grain on the diagonal into ¼-inch strips and cut these strips into 2-inch pieces. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and stir to mix.
2. Just before serving, heat a wok to smoking. Swirl in the oil. Add the garlic, ginger, chilies, scallion whites, and black pepper. Stir-fry over high heat until fragrant but not brown, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the red bell pepper and snow peas and stir-fry for 1 minute or until the chicken is almost cooked.
3. Stir the ingredients for the sauce to redissolve the sugar and cornstarch. Stir the sauce into the chicken mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 1 minute. Correct the seasoning, adding pepper if necessary. The chicken should be highly seasoned. Sprinkle the chicken with the scallion greens and serve at once.
206 CALORIES PER SERVING; 23 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 10 G CARBOHYDRATE; 641 MG SODIUM; 57 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN VERDICCHIO
Serves 4
When I lived in Boston, this simple sauté was a favorite at the family restaurants in the North End (Boston’s “Little Italy”). Verdicchio is a pungent, crisp white wine from central Italy. It goes particularly well with the earthy flavor of artichokes. Naturally, the dish will be best if made with fresh artichokes. But canned or frozen artichokes will produce a perfectly tasty version of this dish, too. (Skip step 1 and add them 5 minutes before the chicken is done.) I’ve written the recipe for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but if your fat budget allows it, make it with a cut-up whole chicken for an even richer flavor.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch diamond-shaped pieces, or 1 chicken, cut into 8 even pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached white flour
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 to 3 cups Verdicchio or other dry white Italian wine
½ pound baby red potatoes (8 potatoes), scrubbed and cut in halves or quarters to obtain 1-inch pieces)
3 large or 4 medium artichokes, trimmed, quartered, and cooked, or 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
8 black olives (optional)
1. In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken with salt and pepper and the flour. Heat half the olive oil in a nonstick frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces over a high flame, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat. Add the onion, the garlic, and half the parsley and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent but not brown, about 4 minutes.
3. Return the chicken to the pan with 2 cups wine and the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken and potatoes are cooked and the sauce reduced and flavorful, 15 to 20 minutes. (If the chicken starts to dry out, add a little more wine: the dish should be quite saucy.) Add the cooked artichokes and olives the last 5 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or pepper to taste. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.
439 CALORIES PER SERVING; 40 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 27.5 G CARBOHYDRATE; 183.6 MG SODIUM; 96 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Serves 4
When I was growing up, chicken cacciatore was probably the best-known Italian dish. For that matter, it was the only Italian dish many Americans had ever heard of. This was long before the pasta revolution, before our discovery of regional Italian cooking, before the explosive proliferation of Italian restaurants in this country. Today, cacciatore sounds dated if not clichéd, and I bet it’s been a good long time since you’ve sampled this soulful dish—chicken “in the style of a hunter.” I’ve written the following recipe for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but if your fat budget allows it, make it with a cut-up whole chicken; the bones will produce an even richer flavor.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes, or to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
5 ounces thinly sliced porcini, shiitake, or portobello mushrooms, or regular button mushrooms
½ cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can imported peeled plum tomatoes with their juices
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 to 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1. Rinse and dry the chicken breasts and cut into 2-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the pepper flakes, onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken and the white wine and bring to a boil.
3. Purée the tomatoes with their juices in a food processor or through a vegetable mill. Add them to the chicken with the bay leaf and half the parsley. Gently simmer the cacciatore over medium heat until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is thick and richly flavored, about 20 minutes. Add vinegar to taste the last 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top and serve at once.
347 CALORIES PER SERVING; 47 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 17 G CARBOHYDRATE; 429 MG SODIUM; 104 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS, LEMON, AND PARMESAN
Serves 4
Asparagus sprinkled with Parmesan cheese is a popular vegetable in Florence—especially in springtime, when the first of the crop comes into season. That gave me the idea for a more substantial dish, a chicken, asparagus, and Parmesan sauté. (This is a good place to use up the chicken tenderloins reserved from other recipes.) Time-conscious cooks will appreciate the fact that this dish can be made in its entirety in a single pan.
1 pound asparagus stalks
salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into ½-inch strips
freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons all-purpose unbleached white flour
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white vermouth or white wine
1 cup Chicken Stock (here)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Snap the asparagus stalks (see box). Discard the stem ends. Cut the stalks sharply on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces. Bring 3 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a 12-inch nonstick frying pan. Cook the asparagus until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the asparagus in a colander, refresh under cold water, and drain again. Rinse out the pan.
2. Heat half the olive oil in the pan. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and toss with the flour. Lightly brown the chicken pieces on all sides over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
3. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, add the vermouth, and bring to a boil. Add the stock. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken until cooked and tender, until the wine and stock have reduced to a thick, flavorful sauce, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the asparagus and the lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or lemon juice to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle the chicken and asparagus with the Parmesan cheese. Serve at once.
431 CALORIES PER SERVING; 60 G PROTEIN; 12 G FAT; 3 G SATURATED FAT; 9 G CARBOHYDRATE; 315 MG SODIUM; 148 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN ALMENDRADA
(IN OAXACAN ALMOND SAUCE)
Serves 4
Her nickname was La Abuelita (“Little Grandmother”) and her lunch counter in the November 20 Market in Oaxaca was always crowded with locals. When she saw my notebook, she insisted I sit down to try her almendrada, a soulful stew flavored with toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and roasted vegetables. (This dish takes its name from the Spanish word for almond, almendra.) Little Grandmother makes her almendrada with chicken, but you could also use pork or veal. For that matter, you could serve the sauce over any type of grilled seafood. In terms of the flavor profile, we’re playing sweet against sour here: the sweetness of almonds, raisins, and cinnamon in counterpoint to the acid tang of the tomatoes and tomatillos. To reduce the fat in the traditional recipe, I use a fraction of the lard and almonds, boosting the nutty taste of the latter with a few drops of almond extract. To further boost the flavor, I cook the chicken right in the sauce. (A Mexican would cook it separately.) Even with these modifications, you’ll find this an irresistible dish with a delectably creamy consistency, bursting with unexpected flavors.
FOR THE ALMOND SAUCE:
4 medium tomatoes, stemmed (about 1¼ pounds)
3 tomatillos, peeled and washed (about 3 ounces)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
½ small onion, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons slivered almonds (about ⅔ ounce)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 slice white bread (with crust), lightly toasted
2 sprigs cilantro
2 sprigs parsley
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon dried cloves
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon lard or olive oil
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup chicken stock, or as needed
TO FINISH THE ALMENDRADA:
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeño chilies
1 tablespoon sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
1 tablespoon drained capers
4 tortillas, warmed
1. Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tomatoes and tomatillos until they are darkly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a blender. Roast the garlic and onion until they’re darkly browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the blender. Toast the almonds until they are lightly browned, shaking the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender. Toast the sesame seeds until they’re lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer half the sesame seeds to the blender. Set aside the remaining seeds for garnish.
2. Add the bread, cilantro, parsley, cinnamon, oregano, cloves, salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon of the sugar to the blender. Purée until smooth.
3. Heat the lard or oil in a deep pot over high heat. Add the sauce and fry it until it’s thick and flavorful, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat to medium if the sauce spatters too much. Add the almond extract and ½ cup of stock after 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick but pourable: Add additional stock as needed. The recipe can be prepared up to a day ahead to this stage. (If preparing ahead, let the sauce cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.)
4. Trim any fat from the chicken. Wash each breast and blot dry. Cut each breast into 2-inch pieces. Add the chicken, raisins, pickled jalapeños, olives, and capers to the sauce. Gently simmer over medium heat until the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Check the sweetness, adding sugar if needed; the sauce should have just the tiniest bit of sweetness. Transfer the chicken and sauce to a platter or plates and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds. Serve at once with the warm tortillas.
Note: I know we’re a little high on the fat grams here (although the fat still accounts for less than 30 percent of the calories). Make this a splurge dinner.
435 CALORIES PER SERVING; 58 G PROTEIN; 13 G FAT; 3 G SATURATED FAT; 21 G CARBOHYDRATE; 773 MG SODIUM; 145 MG CHOLESTEROL
JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE–STYLE CHICKEN
Serves 4
Here’s a home version of Japanese teppan (steak house–style) chicken that both kids and adults will enjoy, especially if you cook it at the table in an electric frying pan or large skillet. Serve with steamed white or brown rice.
1½–2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces shiitake or button mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
4 scallions, whites minced, greens thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1–1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sake (rice wine) or sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups mung bean sprouts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Just before serving, heat a large wok over high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the onion is tender-crisp. Transfer the mixture to a platter with a slotted spoon.
Swirl the remaining oil in the wok. Add the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant but not brown. Add the chicken and sesame seeds, and cook for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the sake and flambé. (If working over a gas burner, simply tilt the pan toward the flame, and the wine will catch fire. If using an electric burner, light the wine with a match.)
When the flame dies down, stir in the soy sauce and lemon juice, and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken is done. Add the bean sprouts and cook over high heat for 30 seconds, or until the sprouts lose their rawness. Stir in the onion, mushrooms, scallion greens, salt, and pepper. Correct the seasoning, adding soy sauce and lemon juice to taste.
245 CALORIES PER SERVING; 23 G PROTEIN; 11 G FAT; 14 G CARBOHYDRATE; 566 MG SODIUM; 46 MG CHOLESTEROL
PEKING CHICKEN
Serves 6 to 8
Andrew Swersky, owner/chef of the Morada Bar & Grill in Boca Raton, Florida, had the idea of using chicken, instead of fatty duck, in this classic Chinese recipe. I’ve lightened and simplified his version, using flour tortillas instead of Mandarin pancakes. The result is a great party dish, with scallion brushes providing some of the crunch of the duck skin in the traditional recipe.
5 cloves garlic, minced (5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup honey
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced across the grain
12 scallions
1 tablespoon sesame oil
12 flour tortillas
Combine the garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Whisk to mix. Set aside half of this mixture to use as a sauce. Marinate the chicken in the remaining mixture for 1 to 2 hours, stirring several times.
Meanwhile, make the scallion brushes. Cut the roots and greens off the scallions. (Reserve the latter for another recipe in this book.) There should be 3-inch pieces of scallion white remaining. Make a series of 1-inch lengthwise cuts in each end, gradually rotating the scallion, to form the individual “bristles” of the brush. Soak the scallions in a bowl of ice water for a couple of hours to swell the ends of the brushes.
Just before serving, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Cook the chicken over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until done. Set aside and keep warm. Lightly brush each tortilla with water and toast in a nonstick frying pan over high heat (or warm in a steamer). Divide the reserved marinade among 6 small ramekins or dishes.
Mound the chicken in the center of a platter. Arrange the tortillas (fold them in quarters or halves) and scallion brushes around the chicken. Invite guests to use a scallion to brush a tortilla with hoisin sauce. Have them place a spoonful of chicken and the scallion brush in a tortilla and roll it into a cone.
436 CALORIES PER SERVING; 42 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 47 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1,519 MG SODIUM; 96 MG CHOLESTEROL
TURKEY PICCATA
Serves 4
When I set out to write this book, I despaired of being able to include some of my favorite Italian dishes, such as veal piccata. After all, how could you possibly cut enough fat in a dish that consists of scalopine dipped in an egg-and-cheese batter and pan-fried in oceans of butter? My first step was to use lean turkey breasts instead of veal. Then I cut the number of egg yolks in the batter. (For a dish even lower in fat, you could eliminate them completely.) Finally, I cook the scalopine in olive oil instead of butter. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how tasty a low-fat version can be.
1½ pounds turkey scalopine (see Note)
1 whole egg plus 4 egg whites, or ¾ cup egg substitute
¼ cup all-purpose unbleached white flour, plus ¾ cup for dredging
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup Chicken Stock (here)
2 tablespoons drained capers
lemon wedges for serving
1. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. If necessary, place each scalopine between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a scalopine pounder or the side of a cleaver to a thickness of ⅛ inch.
2. Make the batter: Lightly beat together the egg and whites in a shallow bowl. (Beat just to mix.) Stir in ¼ cup flour, the cheese, and salt and pepper. The batter should be just a little thicker than heavy cream: if necessary, thin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Place the remaining ¾ cup flour in another shallow bowl or on a paper towel.
3. Just before serving, preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat half the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Season the scalopine with salt and pepper. Lightly dust each scalopine with flour, shaking off the excess. Using 2 forks, dip each scalopine in the batter, shaking off the excess. Pan-fry the scalopine until cooked, 1 to 2 minutes per side, adding olive oil as needed. As the scalopine are cooked, transfer them to an ovenproof serving platter and keep warm in the oven.
4. When all the scalopine are cooked, discard any oil and add the lemon juice, stock, and capers to the pan. Boil this sauce until reduced to about 6 tablespoons and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the scalopine and serve at once, with lemon wedges on the side.
Note: Many butcher shops sell turkey scalopine. If not, it’s easy to ut your own from boneless, skinless turkey breast. Cut the breast across the grain into ¼-inch slices. It’s important to cut across the grain, so the scalopine will be tender. Place each slice between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a scalopine pounder or the side of a cleaver.
319 CALORIES PER SERVING; 43 G PROTEIN; 14 G FAT; 4 G SATURATED FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1,022 MG SODIUM; 125 MG CHOLESTEROL
TURKEY WIENERSCHNITZEL
Serves 4
By substituting turkey for the veal, egg whites for the whole eggs, and olive oil for the butter, I came up with a tasty and healthy remake of this Austrian classic.
1½ pounds turkey cutlets
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup flour (approximately)
2 egg whites
½ cup bread crumbs (approximately)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, for garnish
lemon wedges, for garnish
Place each cutlet between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a scalopine pounder or the side of a cleaver to ¼-inch thick. Season the cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the flour, egg whites, and bread crumbs in three shallow bowls. Dip each turkey cutlet first in flour, shaking off any excess, then in the egg whites, and then in the bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan over high heat. Pan-fry the schnitzel for 30 seconds per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the schnitzel with capers and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
342 CALORIES PER SERVING; 37 G PROTEIN; 11 G FAT; 21 G CARBOHYDRATE; 219 MG SODIUM; 74 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN CHILI
Serves 4 to 6
Here’s a bowl o’ red for people who love the gutsy flavor of chili, but don’t want the fat found in traditional ground beef versions. I offer a range of jalapeño chilies and chili powder to suit individual tastes and heat tolerance. The chicken can be ground in a meat grinder or food processor. This chili is also delicious made with lean ground turkey.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 to 3 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (for a hotter chili, leave the seeds in)
2 to 4 tablespoons pure chili powder
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound very finely chopped or coarsely ground chicken or turkey breast
1 14.5-ounce can peeled tomatoes, with juice
1 cup beer
2 cups cooked black beans (1 16-ounce can)
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup no-fat sour cream for garnish
4 scallions, finely chopped, for garnish
1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, preferably nonstick. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and jalapeños and lightly brown over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook it until white, about 3 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
3. Drain the tomato liquid into the chili. Finely chop the tomatoes and add them with their juices and the beer. Simmer the chili, uncovered, over medium heat until the chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes.
4. Rinse and drain the beans and stir them into the chili with the hot sauce, if desired. Simmer until the chili is thick and well flavored, about 10 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve the chili in bowls, topped with dollops of sour cream and chopped scallions.
336 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 26 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 38 G CARBOHYDRATE; 265 MG SODIUM; 42 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON AND MUSSELS
Serves 4
Here’s a dish from my nouvelle cuisine days in Paris. The year was 1976 and Young Turks of French cuisine were promoting a sort of designer equivalent of surf and turf. The combination of land and sea flavors became one of the hallmarks of the new style of cooking. The black of the mussel shells against the orange of the saffron sauce makes this dish as gorgeous to look at as it is good to eat.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 pounds mussels
½ cup dry white vermouth
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup flour, for dredging
2 to 3 shallots, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
2 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
½ cup chicken stock (see here)
⅛ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water
3 tablespoons no-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Cut the breasts into 1-inch diamond-shaped pieces.
2. Cook the mussels. Sort through them, discarding any with cracked shells or shells that fail to open when tapped. Scrub the mussels and remove the threads at the hinge of the shells. (This is most easily done with a pliers.) Place the mussels and vermouth in a large pot. Tightly cover the pot and cook the mussels over high heat until the shells open, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mussels cool. Shell most of the mussels, leaving twelve to sixteen in the shell for garnish. Strain the mussel juices through a double layer of cheesecloth or a coffee filter. You should have about 1 cup mussel juice.
3. Heat half the olive oil in a nonstick sauté pan. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Lightly brown the chicken pieces in the olive oil over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter with a slotted spoon. Discard the oil and wipe out the pan.
4. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the shallots and celery over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken, mussel juice, stock, and saffron and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken until very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken back to the platter with a slotted spoon.
5. Stir the sour cream into the pan. Boil the cooking liquid until thickened and reduced to about 1¼ cups. Stir in the chicken, shelled mussels, and mussels left in the shell for garnish. Simmer the stew for 2 minutes to heat these ingredients. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a platter or serve it right out of the pan. Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once. Noodles or rice will make a nice accompaniment.
288 CALORIES PER SERVING; 31 G PROTEIN; 9 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 11 G CARBOHYDRATE; 275 MG SODIUM; 92 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN-SHIITAKE STROGANOFF
Serves 4
Beef stroganoff was one of the first “gourmet” dishes I learned to prepare. The advent of no-fat sour cream has enabled me to return this quick, easy, and flavorful dish to my repertoire. I’m not sure what Pavel Stroganoff, the nineteenth-century Russian diplomat for whom this dish is named, would make of the shiitake mushrooms, but I find them infinitely more flavorful than the traditional button mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms would make another good alternative.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons cognac or dry sherry
1 cup chicken stock (see here)
1 cup no-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat or sinews. Cut the breasts across the grain on the diagonal into ¼-inch slices. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Stem the shiitakes and cut the caps in quarters.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan or skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
3. Stir in the chicken and shiitakes and cook over high heat until the chicken turns white, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons cognac and bring to a boil. Stir in the stock and sour cream and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is nicely thickened and well flavored, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard and the remaining 1 tablespoon cognac. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the chicken stroganoff with the parsley and serve at once over boiled noodles.
Note: For an interesting variation use dried Chinese black mushrooms instead of shiitakes. You’ll need twelve large black mushrooms. Soak in hot water for 30 minutes before stemming and quartering the caps.
303 CALORIES PER SERVING; 35 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 11 G CARBOHYDRATE; 240 MG SODIUM; 82 MG CHOLESTEROL
COQ AU VIN
Serves 4 heartily. Makes a light lunch for 6 to 8
Coq au vin (chicken cooked in red wine) was one of the first dishes I ever learned to cook. The place was La Varenne Cooking School in Paris. The year was 1976 and no one seemed to care about how much butter or bacon fat you used in order to obtain rich flavors. As my eating became more healthful over the years, I forgot about coq au vin. Perhaps it’s time to revive a classic. Here’s a low-fat coq au vin that uses lean Canadian bacon in place of the traditional belly bacon. (Be sure to trim off any visible fat.) I’ve also increased the proportion of vegetables to the meat. I dedicate this recipe with affection to La Varenne’s founder, Anne Willan.
1 3½- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 equal-size pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ounce sliced Canadian bacon (2 to 3 slices), cut into 1-inch by ¼-inch slivers
4 shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups dry red wine, or as needed (you don’t need an expensive Burgundy, but use a wine that you would drink)
1 bouquet garni of bay leaf, thyme, and parsley
24 baby onions, peeled
16 baby carrots
½ pound button mushrooms, trimmed
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Remove the skin from the chicken and trim off any visible pieces of fat. Wash the chicken and blot dry. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and toss with the flour in a mixing bowl.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan. Brown the chicken in the oil over medium heat, turning the pieces with tongs, working in several batches as needed to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter lined with paper towels. Brown the bacon in the same pan and transfer to the platter. Pour off any fat and rinse and dry the pan.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and add the shallots and garlic. Cook over medium low heat until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes, stirring often.
4. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the wine and bouquet garni and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve any congealed pan juices. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat that may rise to the surface with a spoon.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Cook the baby onions in 1 quart rapidly boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain. Cook the carrots in the same water until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the carrots to the colander with a slotted spoon. Cut any large mushroom caps in quarters; medium-size caps in half; leave the small ones whole. Boil the mushrooms until tender, about 1minute, and transfer to the colander.
6. Add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and Canadian bacon to the coq au vin. Continue simmering until the chicken is cooked and tender and the sauce is reduced and well flavored, about 10 minutes more. The total cooking time will be 30 to 40 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bouquet garni. Just before serving, transfer the coq au vin to a platter and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
Note: When cutting up a whole chicken, I like to leave a 2-inch piece of breast meat attached to each wing. This makes the wing section a more generous portion. By using 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, instead of a whole chicken, you can reduce the calories per serving to 504, the fat to 11 grams, and the saturated fat to 2 grams.
686 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 60 G PROTEIN; 21 G FAT; 5 G SATURATED FAT; 37 G CARBOHYDRATE; 365 MG SODIUM; 163 MG CHOLESTEROL
BASQUE CHICKEN
Serves 4
The Basque region lies in the Pyrenees Mountains, straddling the border of France and Spain. The local cooking is characterized by the assertative flavors of bell peppers, dried chilies, and country ham. This recipe calls for a cut-up whole chicken, but you can certainly use straight legs, thighs, or breast meat.
1 3½- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 equal-size pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips or 1-inch dice
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips or 1-inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips or 1-inch dice
1 to 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, Smithfield ham, or Canadian bacon, cut into matchstick slivers
1 tablespoon paprika (preferably hot), or to taste
¼ to ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional—use them if using mild paprika)
1 large ripe tomato, cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 cup chicken stock (see here)
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Remove the skin from the chicken and trim off any visible pieces of fat. Wash the chicken pieces and blot dry. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lightly sprinkle with flour.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan. Brown the chicken in the oil over medium-high heat, turning the pieces with tongs, working in several batches as needed to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Pour off any remaining fat and rinse out and dry the pan.
3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in the pan. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and ham and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, hot pepper flakes, and tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken and stock. Gently simmer the stew loosely covered, until the chicken is cooked, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover the pan the last 10 minutes to concentrate the sauce. Skim off any fat that may rise to the surface with a spoon. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or paprika to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned. Stir in half the parsley and remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining parsley and serve at once. I like to serve Basque Chicken over rice, noodles, or spaetzle.
Note: When cutting up a whole chicken, I like to leave a 2-inch piece of breast meat attached to each wing. This makes the wing section a more generous portion. By using 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, you can reduce the calories per serving to 243, the fat to 8 grams, and the saturated fat to 2 grams.
451 CALORIES PER SERVING; 56 G PROTEIN; 18 G FAT; 4 G SATURATED FAT; 14 G CARBOHYDRATE; 215 MG SODIUM; 163 MG CHOLESTEROL
Basque Chicken
CHICKEN COLOMBO
Serves 6
Colombo is the French West Indian word for curry. (The preparation is named for the capital of Sri Lanka.) Colombo arrived in the Caribbean in the 1830s, when Indian and Sri Lankan workers were brought to Guadeloupe to work the sugarcane plantations after the abolition of slavery. Today it’s enjoyed throughout the French West Indies, where it’s made with a variety of ingredients, from seafood to goat. If you live in an area with a large West Indian community, you may be able to find colombo powder, but any good curry powder will do.
2 pounds chicken thighs or boneless, skinless breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches of scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons colombo powder or curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
4 to 5 cups chicken stock (see here)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ pounds pomatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
1. If using chicken thighs, remove the skin and trim off any fat. Wash and blot dry. If using chicken breasts, wash, blot dry, and cut into 2-inch pieces. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and marinate in 1 tablespoon lime juice for 5 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet or sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides over high heat, working in several batches to keep from crowding the pan. Transfer the chicken pieces to a platter with a slotted spoon. Pour off any fat and rinse and dry the pan.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the onion, garlic, scallions, and ginger and cook over medium heat until soft but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in colombo or curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan with the thyme, stock, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer the chicken for 10 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and continue cooking until the chicken and spuds are tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often. Add stock as needed to keep the stew moist. The stew can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead to this stage and reheated.
5. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, pepper, or curry powder to taste. Garnish the colombo with the cilantro and serve over rice.
303 CALORIES PER SERVING; 20 G PROTEIN; 12 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 29 G CARBOHYDRATE; 118 MG SODIUM; 62 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN PAPRIKÁS
Serves 4
Chicken paprikás is one of the glories of Hungarian cuisine. Thanks to the advent of no-fat sour cream, it can now be a part of a healthful low-fat diet. Chili peppers were native to the New World, of course, and they arrived in Hungary in the sixteenth century, where they were adopted with gusto. For best results, use an imported Hungarian paprika.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
4 to 6 teaspoons paprika (preferably imported), or to taste
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken stock (see here)
1 cup no-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Cut the breasts across the grain on the diagonal into ¼-inch slices. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan or skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are very soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the paprika and tomato after 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the bay leaf, stock, and most of the sour cream, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish. Gently simmer until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is nicely thickened, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
4. Transfer the paprikás to plates or a platter. Garnish with dollops of sour cream sprinkled with paprika or parsley, if desired. Serve the paprikás over noodles or rice.
Note: One good brand of Hungarian paprika is Pride of Sceged. That’s the brand my Hungarian aunt, Judy, uses.
266 CALORIES PER SERVING; 34 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 13 G CARBOHYDRATE; 190 MG SODIUM; 82 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN TAGINE
Serves 6 to 8
Vibrantly spiced with ginger and saffron and chock-full of interesting root vegetables, this dish is modeled on a Moroccan stew called tagine. Enjoy it as is (it’s great on a cold winter day), or add extra broth and serve as part of a traditional couscous (here).
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
6–8 cups chicken stock (here) or water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ pound turnips, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
½ pound carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
½ pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
½ pound celeriac, peeled, cut into ¾-inch dice, and sprinkled with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped Pickled Lemons, here (optional)
½ cup raisins
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
½ cup cooked chick-peas (optional)
⅓ cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onion is soft but not brown. Add 6 cups of the stock and the lemon juice, root vegetables, pickled lemons (if using), raisins, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the root vegetables are almost tender. Add stock or water as necessary to keep the stew from drying out.
Just before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the chicken and chick-peas (if using). Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. The stew can be prepared ahead to this stage. (It just gets better with age.) Garnish with cilantro and serve at once.
Note: To serve this stew as a couscous, use 10 cups stock. Prepare the couscous (here) and mound it on a platter or plates. Ladle the stew on top and serve with harissa (North African hot sauce, available at Middle Eastern markets and gourmet shops), Yemenite Hot Sauce (here), or even sambal ulek (Indonesian chili paste) or Vietnamese hot sauce.
359 CALORIES PER SERVING; 43 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 29 G CARBOHYDRATE; 942 MG SODIUM; 96 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN POACHEDWITH STAR ANISE
Serves 4
If you think the first chicken poached in this fragrant broth is good, wait until you taste the second. The flavor improves each time you use it. Star anise is a hard, star-shaped spice with a smoky, licorice flavor. Look for it in Asian and Hispanic markets. I first learned of this cooking method from Bruce Cost, author of a fascinating and invaluable book called Asian Ingredients: A Guide to the Foodstuffs of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. For the lowest possible fat, skin the chicken. For a pretty presentation, truss it.
6 cups water
1¼ cups soy sauce
1¼ cups Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 strips orange zest
1 whole 3½–4-pound chicken
5 scallions, whites left whole, greens finely chopped for garnish
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, for garnish
2 teaspoons sesame oil (optional)
Combine all the ingredients except the chicken, sesame oil, and garnishes in a deep pot just large enough to hold the chicken. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, or until cooked, turning the bird from time to time to make sure it poaches evenly. Skim the mixture often with a shallow ladle to remove any fat that rises to the surface. To test the chicken for doneness, insert a skewer into the thick part of the thigh; the juices should run clear.
Drain the chicken, remove the trussing string, and carve it or cut it into pieces. Sprinkle it with scallion greens and cilantro. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
Tasty as this chicken is, it looks rather drab. To jazz up the presentation, serve it in large, shallow soup bowls with broth ladled over it. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and cilantro. Or brush the chicken pieces with sesame oil and brown them on the grill or under the broiler, then sprinkle with chopped scallions and cilantro.
Note: The broth can and should be reused. Strain it and let it cool to room temperature. Chill overnight in the refrigerator and skim off any fat that collects on the surface. Freeze until you’re ready to use again. To reuse, bring the broth to a boil, adding seasonings and water as necessary.
408 CALORIES PER SERVING; 53 G PROTEIN; 13 G FAT; 14 G CARBOHYDRATE; 758 MG SODIUM; 161 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN A LA MEXICANA
Serves 4
This robust stew contains only six main ingredients, but the finished dish fairly bursts with flavor. The secret is to use bone-in chicken breasts (the bones add extra flavor), cooking them in a sealed pot in the oven. To slash the overall fat, I remove the chicken skin.
1¾ pounds bone-in but skinless chicken breasts (or 1½ pounds boneless, skinless breasts)
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 poblano chili or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 jalapeño chilies, cut in half and seeded
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut each chicken breast into 2-inch pieces, using a cleaver to chop through the bones. Place the chicken, tomatoes, potato, onion, garlic, poblano, jalapeños, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon in a deep casserole or pot and stir to mix. Add 1 cup of water, and the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Tightly cover the pot and place it in the oven. Bake the chicken until done, about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure even cooking. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Note: If you don’t like bones with your chicken, feel free to use boneless breasts.
352 CALORIES PER SERVING; 55 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 16 G CARBOHYDRATE; 135 MG SODIUM; 144 MG CHOLESTEROL
Chicken a La Mexicana
CHICKEN IN PUEBLA-STYLE MOLE
Serves 8
Until you have feasted on this dish, you haven’t experienced Mexican cuisine. Hyperbole, perhaps, but this dark, rich, sonorous sauce—bitter with cocoa powder, sweet with raisins and honey, nutty with almonds and sesame seeds, earthy and gently piquant with five different types of dried chilies—is one of the glories of Mexican cookery. The chocolate (cocoa powder in this case) acts more like a spice than a sweetener. I’ve eliminated more than ½ cup of lard from the traditional recipe, but the mole is still so flavorful that you won’t for a moment miss the fat.
TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
8 half chicken breasts (6 to 7 ounces each), trimmed of all fat and sinew
1 bay leaf
¼ white onion
1 clove
1 clove garlic
1 sprig cilantro
1 batch of mole poblano (see below)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. To cook the chicken, arrange the breasts in a single layer in a large sauté pan. Pin the bay leaf to the onion quarter with a clove. Add it to the chicken with the garlic, cilantro, and water to cover by 1 inch (4 to 6 cups). Gently simmer the chicken over medium heat until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth.
2. Prepare the mole, following the instructions on this page. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Just before serving, spoon one third of the mole into an attractive baking dish. Arrange the chicken breasts on top and spoon the remaining mole over them. Bake the chicken until it’s thoroughly heated, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and serve at once.
444 CALORIES PER SERVING; 80 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 3 G SATURATED FAT; 4 G CARBOHYDRATE; 202 MG SODIUM; 216 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHOCOLATE CHILI MOLE FROM PUEBLA
(MOLE POBLANO)
Makes about 4 cups, enough to serve 8 to 12
Mole poblano is one of the most notorious and misunderstood dishes in the Mexican repertoire. It usually occasions squeals of incredulity (chocolate and chilies?), followed by sighs of pleasure upon actually tasting it. Yes, it contains chocolate (cocoa powder in this recipe, to keep a lid on the fat grams). But it also contains five different kinds of chilies, six different spices, raisins, nuts, tomatoes, toasted tortillas—in short, more than twenty ingredients whose sole purpose is to create a thick, creamy, dark, fragrant sauce with a symphonic range of flavors. The addition of chocolate to what is basically a savory sauce isn’t as strange as it sounds. In pre-Columbian times, chocolate was used as a spice, not as a sweet. Its fruity, bitter flavor goes well with the pungency of the chilies.
3 ancho chilies
3 pasilla chilies
2 mulato chilies (or more anchos)
2 guajillo chilies
1 dried chipotle chili (optional)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon anise seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cloves
1 (1-inch) piece cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground)
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 corn tortillas, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 medium white onion, quartered
5 cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium ripe red tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup yellow raisins
1½ tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or as needed
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
salt
1. Stem the chilies, tear them in half, and remove the veins and seeds. Place the chilies in a bowl with warm water to cover. (You may need to place a saucer on top of the chilies to keep them submerged.) Soak the chilies until they are soft and pliable, about 30 minutes. Drain off the water.
2. Meanwhile, place the coriander, peppercorns, anise seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf in a comal or dry frying pan. Roast over medium heat until toasted and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan to keep the spices from burning. Place the roasted spices in a spice mill or coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.
3. Place the almonds in the comal or frying pan. Roast over medium heat until they are toasted and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan to prevent scorching. Transfer to a plate. Roast the sesame seeds and tortilla pieces separately the same way.
4. Roast the onion pieces, garlic, and tomatoes in the comal or frying pan until nicely browned on all sides: 8 to 10 minutes for the onion and tomatoes, 4 to 6 minutes for the garlic. Transfer the vegetables to a plate to cool.
5. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, soaked chilies, ground spices, almonds, sesame seeds, tortillas, cilantro and raisins in a blender. Purée to a smooth paste, adding a little stock if needed. (You may need to work in several batches. Scrape down the sides of the blender bowl as you work.)
6. Heat the lard in a large saucepan. Add the mole mixture and fry it over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, cocoa powder, honey, vinegar, and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and briskly simmer the mole until it is thick and flavorful, about 10 minutes. If the mole thickens too much, add a little more stock; it should remain pourable. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, vinegar, or honey to taste—the mole should be very flavorful. (The honey serves more to round off any sharp edges than to actually sweeten the mole.)
Note: Several recipes in this book call for mole poblano, so I’ll often make a double batch and freeze it in 1-cup containers, to always have some on hand.
Note: If you’re in a hurry, use preground spices but roast them in a skillet briefly to boost their flavor.
Note: You must use a blender for puréeing; a food processor does not produce a fine enough purée.
128 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 3 G PROTEIN; 5 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 18 G CARBOHYDRATE; 26 MG SODIUM; 2 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN IN MOLE VERDE
(GREEN HERB MOLE FROM OAXACA)
Makes about 5 cups, enough to serve 4 to 6
This chicken dish features the lightest and most refreshing of the seven great Oaxacan moles, a handsome green sauce built on roasted tomatillos and onions, lightly thickened with masa, and enlivened with fresh Mexican herbs. (The herbs are puréed and added to the mole at the end to preserve their bright green color.) To be completely authentic, you’ll need to ferret out a few special ingredients, including epazote and hoja santa (“holy leaf”—a large flat leaf with a pleasant licoricy flavor). Fortunately, these can be ordered by mail. If unavailable, omit the epazote and substitute fresh basil for the hoja santa. Although I call for the mole to be served with poached chicken here, you could certainly serve it with grilled chicken or fish, shrimp, veal, or pork.
2¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 cups chicken stock (see here)
FOR THE MOLE:
6 large tomatillos (about 8 ounces), peeled and halved
6 cloves garlic
4 jalapeño chilies (for a milder mole, seed the chilies)
1 small white onion, quartered
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup masa harina
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed and stemmed
1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed and stemmed
2 tablespoons chopped epazote, fresh or dried
4 hoja santa leaves or 16 fresh basil leaves
1. Wash the chicken and blot dry: Cut the breasts into 2-inch diamonds. Heat the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the chicken and gently simmer until cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reserve the broth.
2. In a blender, purée the tomatillos, garlic, chilies, onion, salt, oregano, thyme, cumin, cloves, and 1 cup stock. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over high heat until thick and aromatic, about 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
3. Add 2 cups stock and boil the sauce for 5 minutes.
4. Combine the masa and 1 cup stock in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the mole. Simmer the mole until thick and creamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Combine the parsley, cilantro, epazote, hoja santa leaves, and remaining 1 cup stock in the blender. Purée until smooth. Stir this purée into the mole and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the herbs have lost their rawness, but kept their bright green hue. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
6. Return the chicken pieces to the mole and simmer until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve at once.
358 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 56 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 15 G CARBOHYDRATE; 501 MG SODIUM; 144 MG CHOLESTEROL
AUNT ANNETTE’S DEMFTED CHICKEN
Serves 4
“Demfing” refers to a venerable Eastern European Jewish cooking technique—braising a chicken or a roast in a sealed heavy pot on the stove. And no one does it better than my great-aunt Annette Farber. The secret to making a rich brown gravy is to let the onions “catch” and caramelize several times before adding more water. Aunt Annette probably wouldn’t bother with a gravy separator (see note), but it does help reduce the fat.
1 3½- to 4-pound frying chicken
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch slices
2 stalks celery, washed and cut into ¼-inch slices
1½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1. Remove any lumps of fat from the cavity of the chicken, wash the bird inside and out, and blot dry. To further reduce the fat you could remove the skin. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and add 3 slices of garlic. Tightly truss the bird.
2. Arrange the sliced onions, carrots, and celery on the bottom of a heavy pot (large enough to hold the bird) with a tightly fitting lid. Place the chicken on top and season all over with salt and pepper. Place a few more garlic slices on top of the chicken and add the rest to the vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan and tightly cover.
3. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat until the onions are a dark golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll need to check the onions often (you don’t want them to burn), stirring as needed to ensure even browning. Add ¼ cup water and stir to dissolve the dark onion juices. Baste the chicken with this mixture.
4. Continue cooking the bird until the onions dry out and brown again, 5 to 10 minutes. Add another ¼ cup water. Repeat the procedure again: The idea is to wind up with a rich, dark brown gravy. Add 1½ cups water and stir well. Baste the chicken with this mixture.
5. Stir in the potatoes, tightly cover the pot, and continue cooking until the chicken and potatoes are cooked, about 30 minutes. (When the chicken is cooled, the juices will run clear and the internal temperature of the bird will be 160°F.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and remove the trussing string. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to the platter and pour the gravy into a gravy separator. Let stand for 3 minutes. Pour the gravy into a gravy boat (or over the vegetables), leaving the fat behind.
Note: A gravy separator is a gravy boat with the spout attached to the bottom of the server. Fat floats on water, of course, so you can pour off the meat juices from the bottom, leaving the fat behind. Gravy separators are sold at most cookware shops.
578 CALORIES PER SERVING; 63 G PROTEIN; 15 G FAT; 4 G SATURATED FAT; 45 G CARBOHYDRATE; 214 MG SODIUM; 179 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA
Serves 4
Saltimbocca is a traditional Roman dish, a tiny veal scalopine rolled with a sage leaf and prosciutto. My low-fat version features thinly sliced chicken breast that is cooked in wine and chicken stock instead of butter. The result is so tasty, it “jumps in your mouth,” which is what the word saltimbocca literally means in Italian. For ease in slicing, buy the largest chicken breasts you can find. If fresh sage is unavailable, you can use fresh basil or another herb.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 paper-thin slices prosciutto (1 to 1½ ounces)
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about ⅓ cup flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup marsala wine
½ cup chicken stock (see here)
1. Cut each half chicken breast very sharply on the diagonal into ¼-inch scaloppine. You should wind up with four slices per breast—sixteen slices in all. Place one slice between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with a scaloppine pounder or the side of a cleaver to form a rectangle 3- to 4-inches long and 2-inches wide. Pound the remaining slices in this way. Cut the prosciutto into 2- by 3-inch rectangles.
2. Place a piece of prosciutto on each chicken slice. Lay two to three sage leaves on top. Starting at one narrow end, roll the chicken into a compact roll and pin it shut with a lightly oiled toothpick. Prepare the other saltimboccas the same way. Season the saltimboccas with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Lightly brown the saltimboccas on all sides. Add the marsala and bring to a boil. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken for 10 minutes, or until tender. Transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm. Remove the toothpicks.
4. Boil the cooking liquid until reduced by half. (It should be thick and flavorful.) Correct the seasoning of the sauce, adding salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve at once.
263 CALORIES PER SERVING; 33 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 9 G CARBOHYDRATE; 191 MG SODIUM; 86 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN AND SHIITAKE ROLLATINI
Serves 4
In this recipe, a chicken breast is pounded into a broad thin sheet, then rolled up with a mushroom stuffing called duxelles. (The preparation is named for the Marquis d’Uxelles, patron of the great seventeenth-century French chef La Varenne.) The resulting rolls form colorful pinwheels when sliced. You can certainly improvise on the stuffing, using other exotic mushrooms. Similarly, rollatini can be made with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes or prosciutto and fresh basil leaves. Note: To further reduce the fat in this recipe, you can omit browning the rollatini in olive oil and bake them directly in the oven.
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 halves—1¼ to 1½ pounds)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE FILLING:
½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
½ pound button mushrooms, stemmed (or more shiitakes)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
pinch of cayenne pepper
TO FINISH THE ROLLATINI:
1 cup flour, for dredging (in a shallow bowl)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1. If using whole (double) chicken breasts, cut them in half. Remove the fillets (the finger-shaped muscles running the length of each breast) and reserve for another use (for example, the satays here). Place each breast between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Using a scaloppine pounder or the flat side of a heavy cleaver, pound one breast into a large (at least 4 to 5 inches) rectangle ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Pound gently but firmly, taking care not to tear the breast. Pound all the other chicken breasts in this fashion. Lightly season the breasts with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the mushroom filling. Finely chop the shiitakes and button mushrooms in the food processor. (Work in several batches and run the processor in bursts. You want to finely chop the mushrooms, not reduce them to a watery purée.) Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick frying pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft and fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the mushrooms, stirring, until most of the liquid is evaporated and the mixture is concentrated and reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cook for 1 minute. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and cayenne. It should be highly seasoned. Let the mixture cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay out the chicken breasts on a work surface, wide side toward you, and spread the mushroom mixture in a thin layer over the chicken. Leave ½-inch border at the top edge (the wide edge furthest away from you). Starting at the bottom wide edge, roll the chicken breast into a tight cylinder. Pin it closed with lightly oiled toothpicks. Stuff and roll all the breasts in this fashion. Season with more salt and pepper.
4. Dip each rollatini in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle. Lightly brown the rollatini on all sides over medium-high heat, working in several batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Pour off any excess fat. Place the pan with the rollatini in the oven and bake until cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the rollatini to a cutting board and remove the toothpicks. Cut each rollatini widthwise into ½-inch slices. (An electric knife works great for slicing.) Fan the slices out on plates or a platter. Wild rice or couscous will make a nice accompaniment.
Note: A good source for exotic mushrooms is Aux Délices Des Bois in New York City. For mail order, visit www.auxdelices.com.
345 CALORIES PER SERVING; 33 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 32 G CARBOHYDRATE; 68 MG SODIUM; 73 MG CHOLESTEROL
Chicken and Shiitake Rollatini
CHICKEN ROLLATINI IN RED, WHITE, AND GREEN
Serves 4
Italians love meats that are stuffed and rolled. This one produces colorful pinwheels of red prosciutto, white fontina cheese, and bright-green escarole leaves. (It’s important to use imported Italian fontina, which has an intense, robust flavor.) If escarole is unavailable, you could substitute twelve fresh spinach leaves.
2 large chicken breasts (4 halves—about 1½ pounds in all)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 escarole leaves, washed
2 very thin slices prosciutto, cut in half crosswise
1½ ounces fontina cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup all-purpose unbleached white flour for dredging (in a shallow bowl)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. If using whole (double) chicken breasts, cut them in half. Remove the “tenderloin” (the finger-shaped muscle running the length of each breast) and reserve for another recipe. Place each half breast between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Using a scaloppine pounder or the flat side of a heavy cleaver, pound the breast into a large (at least 4 × 6 inches) rectangle ⅛- to 
-inch thick. Pound gently but firmly, taking care not to tear the breast. Pound all the chicken breasts in this fashion. Lightly season the breasts with salt and pepper.
2. Cook the escarole leaves in 2 quarts salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Refresh under cold water and drain. Blot dry. Cut the escarole leaves to the size of the chicken breasts.
3. Lay out the chicken breasts on a work surface, wide side toward you. Place an escarole leaf, a slice of prosciutto, and a couple of slices of fontina on top. Starting at the bottom wide edge, roll the chicken breast into a tight cylinder. Pin it closed with toothpicks. Stuff and roll all the breasts in this fashion. Season with more salt and pepper.
4. Dip each rollatino in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Lightly brown the rollatini on all sides over medium-high heat, working in several batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Pour off any excess fat. Place the pan with the rollatini in the oven and bake until cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the rollatini to a cutting board and remove the toothpicks. Cut each rollatino crosswise into ½-inch slices. (An electric knife works great for slicing.) Fan the slices out on plates or a platter. The Braised New Potatoes with Garlic and Bay Leaves here would make a good accompaniment.
Note: To further reduce the fat in this recipe, you could omit browning the rollatini in olive oil before baking them in the oven.
318 CALORIES PER SERVING; 43 G PROTEIN; 12 G FAT; 4 G SATURATED FAT; 6 G CARBOHYDRATE; 308 MG SODIUM; 122 MG CHOLESTEROL
QUARTET OF STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Serves 4
A skinless, boneless chicken breast is like a blank painter’s canvas: uninteresting by itself but full of promise when the cook adds his or her colors. I love the surprise of cutting into a chicken breast and discovering a tangy layer of sage and prosciutto or a crimson pocket of sun-dried tomato. Here are 4 of my favorite stuffings. Use them as a springboard for your own creations. Each of these recipes can easily be adapted to serve 1, 2, or a multitude.
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (double-sided)
your choice of stuffing (see next page)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup flour (approximately)
1½ tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup chicken stock
Trim the “tenderloins” (the long, thin, cylindrical muscles on the inside of the breast—save them for stir-fries) and any fat off the chicken breasts and cut the breasts in half. Place each half flat on a cutting board and, using the palm of one hand to hold the breast flat, cut a deep horizontal pocket in the side with a slender knife. Make the pocket as large as you can without piercing the top or bottom of the breast.
Choose one of the stuffings given on the next page and stuff the chicken breasts as indicated. Pin the breasts closed with toothpicks and season with salt and pepper. Dredge each breast in flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan and brown the breasts on both sides. Add the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until cooked. (A skewer inserted in the center will come out hot to the touch.) Transfer to a platter and remove the toothpicks.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper and spoon it over the chicken. Serve at once.
PROSCIUTTO AND SAGE STUFFING
4 very thin slices prosciutto (about 1 ounce)
12 fresh sage leaves
Place a slice of prosciutto and 3 sage leaves in the pocket of each half breast.
253 CALORIES PER SERVING; 30 G PROTEIN; 9 G FAT; 12 G CARBOHYDRATE; 158 MG SODIUM; 77 MG CHOLESTEROL
SAUERKRAUT AND SMOKED CHEESE STUFFING
½ cup sauerkraut, drained
4 thin slices low-fat smoked mozzarella or other smoked cheese
Place a spoonful of sauerkraut and a slice of cheese in the pocket of each half breast.
279 CALORIES PER SERVING; 34 G PROTEIN; 9 G FAT; 13 G CARBOHYDRATE; 306 MG SODIUM; 77 MG CHOLESTEROL
BASIL AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO STUFFING
eight 1-inch pieces sun-dried tomato (drained)
16 large basil leaves
Place 2 pieces of sun-dried tomato and 4 basil leaves in the pocket of each half breast.
262 CALORIES PER SERVING; 29 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 16 G CARBOHYDRATE; 81 MG SODIUM; 73 MG CHOLESTEROL
RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFING
5 ounces fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
salt
½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese
½ small clove garlic, minced (¼ teaspoon)
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
Cook the spinach in ½ cup boiling salted water for 2 minutes, or until limp. Drain, refresh under cold water, and drain again. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to wring out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach and mix it with the ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Stuff the ricotta mixture into the pocket of each half breast using a spoon.
291 CALORIES PER SERVING; 32 G PROTEIN; 11 G FAT; 14 G CARBOHYDRATE; 130 MG SODIUM; 83 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH PROSCIUTTO AND FIGS
Serves 4
In this recipe a beloved Italian appetizer becomes a stuffing for boneless chicken breasts. The balsamic vinegar sauce picks up the sweetness of the figs. If fresh figs are in season, by all means use them. But dried figs work well, too. (If using dried figs, soften them in warm water or port wine.)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 halves—1¼ to 1½ pounds)
4 fresh or dried figs
2 very thin slices prosciutto or Smithfield ham (about 1 ounce)
8 fresh sage or basil leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup flour, for dredging
1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Remove the tenderloins (the long cylindrical strips of meat on the inside of the breasts) and reserve for another recipe, such as the Sesame Chicken Fingers here. Cut each breast lengthwise into two halves. Lay one of the half breasts at the edge of a cutting board. Cut a deep horizontal pocket in the breast, taking care not to pierce the top, bottom, or far side. It helps to hold the breast flat with your free hand while cutting the pocket. Cut pockets in the remaining breasts the same way.
2. Stem the figs and thinly slice widthwise. Place 1 sliced fig, ½ slice prosciutto, and 2 sage leaves in the pocket of each chicken breast. Pin the pockets shut with lightly oiled toothpicks. Stuff all the chicken breasts the same way.
3. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Lightly brown the chicken breasts over high heat, about 2 minutes per side. Add the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the chicken breasts until cooked, about 10 minutes, turning once. Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and keep warm. Boil the sauce until reduced, thick, and richly flavored, about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove the toothpicks and thinly slice the chicken breasts widthwise. (The best tool for slicing is an electric knife.) Fan the sliced chicken breasts out on plates or a platter. Spoon the sauce over or around the chicken and serve at once.
Note: To further reduce the fat in this recipe, you can bake or grill the chicken breasts instead of sautéing them.
289 CALORIES PER SERVING; 30 G PROTEIN; 7 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 24 G CARBOHYDRATE; 165 MG SODIUM; 77 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN TAQUITOS
Makes 8 taquitos
A taquito is the cousin of the popular Tex-Mex taco. The difference is that the filling is served in a soft corn tortilla, not in a deep-fried shell. At our house we like to add shiitake mushrooms to the filling.
FOR THE FILLING:
10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
½ teaspoon cumin
4 ounces shiitake or button mushrooms, stemmed and diced
TO FINISH THE TAQUITOS:
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
¼ cup shredded smoked cheese or cheddar (preferably low fat—optional)
1½ cups Salsa Mexicana (see here), or use your favorite bottled brand
½ cup no-fat sour cream
1. Prepare the filling. Wash and dry the chicken breasts and trim off any fat. Dice the chicken breasts as finely as possible or cut into thin slivers. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onion, garlic, chili, and cumin and cook over medium heat until the vegetables just begin to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and mushrooms and continue sautéing until the chicken and mushrooms are cooked, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl with a spoon.
2. Warm the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 350°F. oven or toaster oven until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes. Place the lettuce, tomato, scallions, cheese, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls.
3. To serve the taquitos, let each guest place a spoonful of chicken and the various garnishes on a tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half or roll into a tube for eating.
Note: To make crisp tortilla shells for tacos, fold the tortillas in half around cannelloni molds or other tube-shaped molds and bake on a nonstick baking sheet in a 350°F. oven until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
304 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 21 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 40 G CARBOHYDRATE; 202 MG SODIUM; 35 MG CHOLESTEROL
TURKEY TAQUITOS WITH SALSA VERDE
Serves 4
A taquito is a baby taco. This ubiquitous street food is as popular in Mexico as sandwiches are in North America. Unlike our version of tacos, taquitos are always served in soft tortillas, so they’re much lower in fat. They feature a piquant green salsa made with tomatillos. A tomatillo is a small, green tomatolike fruit recognizable by its papery skin. There’s nothing quite like its tart, perky flavor. If you can’t find fresh or canned tomatillos, you can substitute plum tomatoes, but the look and taste will be quite different.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 or 2 serrano or jalapeño chilies (or to taste), seeded and minced
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and finely chopped
½ cup chicken stock or water
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless turkey, ground, finely chopped, or cut into slivers
1 cup tightly packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup nonfat yogurt
12 flour or corn tortillas
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, and chilies, and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Add the tomatillos and chicken stock. Simmer, covered, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft. Stir in the cilantro, cumin, sugar, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Purée the salsa in a blender or food processor. If the salsa seems too tart, add sugar. If it’s too thick, add a little water.
Stir the turkey into the salsa verde and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until the turkey is just cooked. Correct the seasoning. Purée the parsley in a spice mill or blender. (A food processor does not work particularly well for this procedure.) Blend in the yogurt and salt to obtain a bright green sauce. (If you want to get fancy, place the sauce in a plastic squirt bottle for squirting whimsical designs.)
Just before serving, heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Very lightly brush each tortilla with water and toast it in the pan. The trick is to brown it slightly without making it brittle. Place spoonfuls of the turkey-tomatillo mixture in each rottilla and fold in quarters (or serve in corn tortillas folded in half, as you would for tacos). Arrange the taquitos on a platter and decorate with squiggles of parsley sauce.
442 CALORIES PER SERVING; 26 G PROTEIN; 10 G FAT; 63 G CARBOHYDRATE; 150 MG SODIUM; 38 MG CHOLESTEROL
Turkey Taquitos with Salsa Verde
ASIAN ROAST CHICKEN
Serves 4 to 6
This recipe is simplicity itself, but it never fails to fetch raves. The secret ingredient is the small, rust-colored seed of the Zanthoxylum simulans, better known as the Sichuan peppercorn. Available at Asian markets and most gourmet shops, Sichuan peppercorns are the size and shape of common black peppercorns, but their flavor is piny and aromatic and not in the least bit hot. The salt and peppers are roasted to intensify the flavor. Note: Inserting the garlic paste under the skin gives the chicken extra flavor. If you’re in a hurry, you can omit this step, placing the ingredients for the paste in the bird’s cavity.
1 roasting chicken (3½ to 4 pounds)
FOR THE SEASONED SALT:
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
FOR THE GARLIC PASTE:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, trimmed and minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1. Wash the chicken inside and out and blot dry. (Reserve the giblets for stock.) Remove any lumps of fat from the cavity. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare the seasoned salt. Place the peppercorns and salt in a dry skillet or wok and cook over medium heat until the peppercorns begin to crackle and smoke, about 3 minutes, shaking the pan to prevent scorching. Transfer the mixture to a spice mill or blender and grind to a coarse powder.
3. Prepare the garlic paste. Combine the garlic, scallions, ginger, and cilantro in a mortar and pestle and pound to a smooth paste or purée in a food processor. Add the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
4. Loosen the skin from the chicken by gently working your finger under it, starting at the hole at the neck. Loosen the skin from the breast and thighs, working as gently as possible so as not to tear the skin. Spread most of the garlic mixture under the skin. Place the remainder in the cavity. Sprinkle a little of the seasoned salt in the cavity of the chicken. Truss the bird with string. Brush the outside of the chicken with the sesame oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
5. Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up, and place in the oven. Roast the chicken until cooked, about 1 hour. (When cooked the juices in the chicken will run clear. The internal temperature will be 160°F.) Halfway through cooking (after 30 minutes), tip the bird, using tongs or a carving fork (insert them in the cavity), to drain any juices in the cavity into the roasting pan. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces with a cleaver and serve with tiny dishes of seasoned salt for sprinkling.
Note: This will make more seasoned salt than you actually need. Store any leftovers in a jar.
Note: By using 2 bone-in chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken (you can still stuff the garlic paste under the skin), you can reduce the calories per serving to 211, the fat to 9 grams, and the saturated fat to 2.3 grams.
455 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 67 G PROTEIN; 18 G FAT; 5 G SATURATED FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 632 MG SODIUM; 205 MG CHOLESTEROL
HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS
Serves 4
A platter of game hens makes a dramatic centerpiece for a dinner party, while a single bird is a perfect serving for 1. This recipe features an aromatic paste of garlic and herbs stuffed under the skin of the hens before roasting. It’s important to use fresh herbs.
8 large cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup finely chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, and/or parsley)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Cornish game hens (about 1¼ pounds each)
1 very small onion or shallot, quartered
8 sprigs fresh rosemary of thyme
Combine the garlic and chicken stock in a saucepan and gently simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. Let cool. Purée the garlic and stock with the herbs in a food mill or blender. Work in the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be highly seasoned.
Remove any lumps of fat from inside the birds. Season the cavities with salt and pepper, and place an onion quarter in each. Starting at the neck of each bird, work your finger under the skin to create a pocket between the skin and the breast meat. Try to loosen the skin over the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Work carefully so as not to tear the skin. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Spread 1 tablespoon herb mixture under the skin of each bird. (This is most easily done with a small spoon.) Tightly truss each bird with string, tucking sprigs of rosemary or thyme between the legs. Season the outside of the birds with salt and pepper, and brush with the remaining herb mixture.
Roast the birds on a rack in a roasting pan for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. To test for doneness, insert a trussing needle into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices will run clear when the bird is cooked. Transfer the birds to a platter and let stand for 3 minutes. For a really low-fat dish, remove the skin before serving. Remove the trussing string and serve at once.
265 CALORIES PER SERVING; 34 G PROTEIN; 12 G FAT; 3 G CARBOHYDRATE; 199 MG SODIUM; 102 MG CHOLESTEROL
Herb-Roasted Game Hens
TUSCAN ROAST PHEASANT
Serves 4
Pheasant is the perfect bird for health-conscious eaters, offering rich flavor with dramatically less fat than chicken. Once available only to hunters, pheasant can now be found at gourmet shops, specialty butchers, and many supermarkets. And because virtually all of the pheasant sold in the United States is farm-raised, you never have to worry about an unpleasantly strong gamy flavor. This recipe uses a wet-roasting technique: the wine keeps the bird from drying out.
2 fresh pheasants
2 to 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 thin slices pancetta (Italian bacon), each cut in half crosswise (optional)
1 cup dry white wine, or as needed
2 tablespoons good-quality brandy or grappa
1. Prepare the pheasants for roasting. Normally they are sold ready to cook, but sometimes you will need to pull out the tiny pin feathers around the wings and legs. Do this with tweezers or pliers. Remove any lumps of fat from the cavities. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brush the outside of the pheasants with olive oil. Season the inside and outside with salt and pepper. Mash together the rosemary, thyme, and garlic in a mortar and pestle or mix in a small bowl. Place half this mixture in the cavities of the birds (a little in the front cavity, more in the rear cavity). Spread the remaining mixture over the outside of the birds. If using the pancetta, place 2 half strips over each pheasant breast. Truss the birds with string.
3. Place the pheasants on their sides on a rack over the pan. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the birds from one side to the other after 15 minutes.
4. Add the wine to the pan and continue roasting the birds for another 20 minutes, turning once. (If too much wine in the pan evaporates, add a little more.) Turn the pheasants on their backs (breasts up) and increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Roast the birds in this position for 6 to 8 minutes to brown the skin.
5. Remove the pheasants from the oven and cut each one in half with a large sharp knife or poultry shears. Place the halves, cut side down, in the roasting pan with the wine. Pour the brandy over them. Roast for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until there are no traces of pink in the meat.
6. Transfer the pheasant halves to plates or a platter. Strain the pan juices into a sauce boat for serving on the side. Polenta or risotto would make an excellent accompaniment.
Note: Pancetta is Italian bacon. I use just a little for flavor. You could further reduce the fat in the dish by substituting prosciutto for the pancetta or omitting it entirely.
805 CALORIES PER SERVING; 91 G PROTEIN; 40 G FAT; 11 G SATURATED FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 165 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
CHICKEN BAKED IN PARCHMENT PAPER WITH AVOCADO LEAVES AND CHILIES
(MIXIOTES)
Serves 6
Let the French have their papillotes, the Italians their cartuccias. I raise my fork for mixiotes. Mexicans have a longstanding tradition of roasting or grilling foods wrapped in plant leaves. (See the pibil here.) The mixiote—native to central Mexico—may be the most ingenious such preparation of all. The term (pronounced “mee-she-OH-tay”) refers to a paperlike membrane that covers the maguey cactus leaf, which is traditionally used to wrap meats marinated in chili paste for pit roasting or steaming. Cactus membranes are hard to come by in the United States, but you can use parchment paper or even aluminum foil with similar results. You’ll need to know about one other offbeat ingredient here—avocado leaves, which have a smoky, licorice flavor. You can find them at Mexican grocery stores, but a thin slice of fresh fennel makes an acceptable substitute. This dish may sound complicated, but the actual cooking time is quite brief and the presentation is off the charts in wow power. Few dishes can compete with these dramatically puffed paper pouches, which release a heady scent of chilies and anise when opened before your guests at the table.
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 to 6 ounces each)
FOR THE ADOBO:
8 guajillo chilies (about 2 ounces) or 2½ tablespoons sweet paprika
1 ancho chili
1 pasillo chili
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ onion
½ teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
6 avocado leaves or thin (⅛-inch-thick) slices fresh fennel
6 (13 × 24 inch) rectangles of aluminum foil
1. Wash the chicken breasts and blot them dry. Trim off any excess fat or sinews.
2. To prepare the adobo, stem the chilies, tear them open, and remove the veins and seeds. Soak the chilies in warm water to cover until they are soft and pliable, about 20 minutes. Drain the chilies and place them in a blender with the garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, broth, and vinegar. Purée to a smooth paste. Place the chicken pieces in a roasting pan and pour the adobo over them. Marinate for 2 hours, turning once or twice.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Place a sheet of foil (the shiny side should be down) on your work surface and place an avocado leaf or slice of fennel in the center of one half. Place a piece of chicken on top. Spoon one sixth of the adobo mixture on top. Fold the long side of the foil over the chicken, matching up the edges. Pleat (tightly fold over) the edges to form a hermetic seal. Prepare the other mixiotes the same way.
5. Arrange the mixiotes on baking sheets and bake until dramatically puffed and the chicken is cooked, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide the mixiotes onto six plates and present them this way to your guests. Have handy a pair of scissors and use them (or have your guests use them) to open the mixiotes. (Keep your face and hands averted to avoid the escaping steam.) Slide the chicken and sauce out of the foil before eating. Serve with white rice, Mexican rice, or tortillas.
Note: As parchment paper can be hard to find in some parts of the country, I call for aluminum foil below.
Note: Sometimes this dish is prepared with parchment paper. You’ll need six 20-inch squares. Place the avocado leaf, chicken, and adobo in the center. Bring the sides of the parchment up over the chicken to encase it. Twist the raised ends of the parchment paper to seal in the chicken and tie with string: The idea is to create a hermetically sealed package. What results will look like a giant beggar’s purse.
307 CALORIES PER SERVING; 54 G PROTEIN; 6 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 5 G CARBOHYDRATE; 485 MG SODIUM; 144 MG CHOLESTEROL
NOT FRIED CHICKEN
Serves 4
By baking the chicken instead of deep-frying it and by using buttermilk and spices to bolster the flavor, we create a tasty, delectably crisp chicken that won’t jeopardize your health.
1 3½- to 4-pound chicken
FOR THE SPICE MIX:
1 tablespoon Cajun spice
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
FOR THE BREADING:
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade
½ cup flour
½ cup cornmeal
spray oil
1. Cut the chicken into eight even pieces or have your butcher do it. (When I cut off the wings, I include a 2-inch piece of the breast meat. This gives you a meatier wing.) Remove all the skin from the chicken and cut away any pieces of fat.
2. Combine the Cajun spice, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a shallow bowl and stir to mix. Rub one-third of this spice mix on the chicken pieces and let stand for 10 minutes in a metal mixing bowl. Stir in the buttermilk and place the bowl in the freezer. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
3. Combine the ingredients for the breading and the remaining spice mix in a mixing bowl and stir or whisk to mix. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with spray oil. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Drain the chicken pieces in a colander. Dredge each piece of chicken in the crumb mixture, shaking off the excess. Arrange the chicken pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken pieces with oil.
5. Bake the chicken until golden brown and cooked, 30 to 40 minutes, turning several times to ensure even browning. Serve at once. Mashed potatoes will make a great accompaniment.
Note: By using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, you could reduce the calories to 444 per serving, the fat to 7 grams, and the saturated fat to 2 grams.
667 CALORIES PER SERVING; 69 G PROTEIN; 18 G FAT; 5 G SATURATED FAT; 53 G CARBOHYDRATE; 488 MG SODIUM; 184 MG CHOLESTEROL
STOVETOP-SMOKED CHICKEN
Makes 1 chicken, which will serve 4
Smoking is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken. You don’t even need any special equipment; here is a tried-and-true method for smoking a chicken in a stovetop smoker or wok. When doing stovetop smoking, be sure to run the hood exhaust fan on high.
1 3½- to 4-pound chicken
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons hardwood chips or sawdust
1. Remove any lumps of fat from the chicken and thoroughly wash inside and out. Blot the chicken dry with paper towels and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss the chicken to give it a neat appearance.
2. Place a 6-inch square of foil in the bottom of a stovetop smoker or a wok. Place the wood on top. Place a wire rack (a round cake rack works well in a wok) over the wood and place the chicken on top. Place the smoker or wok over high heat until the first wisps of smoke appear. Reduce the heat to medium, tightly cover the wok or smoker, and smoke the chicken until cooked, about 1 hour. (The juices will run clear when the chicken is cooked; the internal temperature should be 160°F.) If the smoker lid isn’t tall enough, you can tent the bird with heavy-duty aluminum foil. (Crimp the edges to make a hermetic seal.)
Note: By removing the chicken skin you can reduce the calories in this recipe to 382, the fat to 15 grams, and the saturated fat to 4 grams. This dish is a little on the high end in terms of fat, so enjoy it for a splurge or use the smoked chicken in smaller amounts in other recipes in this book.
509 CALORIES PER SERVING; 64 G PROTEIN; 26 G FAT; 7 G SATURATED FAT; 0 G CARBOHYDRATE; 191 MG SODIUM; 202 MG CHOLESTEROL