POULTRY DISHES
• Braised Chicken with Wild Mushrooms
• Braised Duck with Fennel Root
• Citrus Chicken with Pecan Wild Rice
• Grilled Chicken and Vegetables with Lemon-Walnut Sauce
• Roasted Cornish Hen with Figs
Arroz con Pollo
Although this rice is generally thought of as a Latin American dish, you’ll find it in Spain as well. This dish is easy to prepare and can be adapted to your taste. Add more vegetables, such as artichokes or peas, to boost fiber and decrease calories.
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• 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 chicken, cut into pieces • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 3 sweet red peppers, coarsely chopped • 1 onion, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced |
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained • 1 tablespoon paprika • 1 cup brown rice • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
Place the chicken in the pan, and cook it 8–10 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides.
Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe dish, and keep warm in the oven on the lowest setting.
Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Add the sweet peppers, onion, and garlic to the pan, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender.
Heat the chicken stock in the microwave or a saucepan until simmering. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and paprika to the pan.
Stir in the rice, and place the chicken pieces on top.
Simmer with the lid on for 20–30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Garnish with parsley.
Serve with a green salad or tomato and red onion salad.
Serves 6.
Braised Chicken with Wild Mushrooms
This Italian stew is hearty and satisfying, and can be served with a variety of vegetables or salads. Stews improve with time, so make this the night before you want to serve it.
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• 1/4 cup dried porcini or morel mushrooms • 1/4 cup olive oil • 2–3 slices low-salt turkey bacon, chopped • 1 chicken, cut into pieces • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1 small celery stalk, diced • 1 small dried red chili, chopped |
• 1/4 cup vermouth or white wine • 1/4 cup tomato puree • 1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock • 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 4 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped • 3 teaspoons fresh tarragon |
Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Allow them to stand for 20 minutes to soften.
Drain and chop, reserving the liquid.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy stew pot on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned and slightly crisp. Drain the bacon on a paper towel.
Season the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and add to the oil and bacon drippings.
Cook for 10–15 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time so that both sides of the chicken are golden brown.
Add the celery and the chopped chili, and cook for 3–5 minutes or until soft.
Deglaze the pan with the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom.
Add the tomato puree, chicken stock, arrowroot, and mushroom liquid. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
Add the fresh chopped herbs and cook an additional 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with wilted greens or crunchy green beans.
Serves 4.
Braised Duck with Fennel Root
Roasted or braised fennel is sweet and mild, and fennel provides a great source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. It pairs perfectly with the rich taste of duck, but you can also use chicken, which is leaner and lower in calories.
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• 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 whole duck, cleaned • 3 teaspoon fresh rosemary • 2 garlic cloves, minced • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
• 3 fennel bulbs, cut into chunks • 1/2 cup sherry |
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large stew pot or Dutch oven.
Season the duck, including the cavity, with the rosemary, garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Place the duck in the oil, and cook it for 10–15 minutes, turning as necessary to brown all sides.
Add the fennel bulbs and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Pour the sherry over the duck and fennel, cover the pot, and cook in the oven for 30–45 minutes, or until internal temperature of the duck is 140–150 degrees at its thickest part.
Allow duck to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 6.
Chicken and Potato Tagine
The term “tagine” refers to both the cooking vessel and the finished dish. Use a Dutch oven or casserole dish if you don’t have a tagine. Small amounts of meat and poultry are balanced with large servings of vegetables on this diet.
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• 1 chicken, cut up into 8 pieces • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 1/4 teaspoon ginger • Pinch saffron threads |
• 1 teaspoon paprika • Sea salt, to taste • 2 cups water • 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas |
Place the chicken, onion, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings into a Dutch oven. Add about 2 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the potatoes, parsley, and cilantro, and simmer an additional 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender.
Add the peas at the last moment, simmering for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 6.
Chicken Marsala
The secret to this Italian classic is to pound the chicken breasts thin between two pieces of wax paper, so they cook quickly and evenly. Small servings of meat and large portions of vegetables are easy to achieve with this entrée.
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• 1/4 cup olive oil • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour |
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced • 1 cup Marsala wine • 1 cup chicken broth • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
Season the chicken breasts with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, then dredge them in flour.
Sauté them in the olive oil until golden brown.
Transfer to an oven-safe plate, and keep warm in the oven on low. Sauté the mushrooms in the same pan. Add the wine and chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced and thickened slightly. Return the chicken to the pan, and cook it in the sauce for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serves 4.
Chicken Tagine with Olives
Tagine is a traditional Moroccan stew. This version gets its bright color from saffron and turmeric. Use a combination of purple and green pitted olives if you can find them. Olives are a key component of the Mediterranean diet, and are a good source of vitamin E.
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• 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon paprika • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric • Pinch saffron threads • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1 whole chicken • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced |
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flatleaf parsley • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro • 1 cinnamon stick • 3 cups water • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon butter • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • 1 cup green or purple olives (or a combination of both), pitted • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Combine the spices and garlic in a small bowl.
Pat the chicken dry, brush the spices over the chicken, and massage them in with your fingers, including in the cavity.
Place the chicken in a large stew pot or Dutch oven.
Add the onions, parsley, cilantro, and cinnamon stick to the pot along with the water.
Bring the water to a boil and add the olive oil, butter, and lemon zest and juice.
Cover and simmer for 1–2 hours, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Remove the lid and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Add the olives immediately before serving.
Serves 6.
Citrus Chicken with Pecan Wild Rice
While not traditionally from the region, this combination of orange, healthful nuts, and wild rice fits well with the Mediterranean diet. Wild rice is a good source of fiber, zinc, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B9.
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• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 2 tablespoons olive oil |
• Juice and zest of 1 orange • 2 cups wild rice, cooked • 2 green onions, sliced • 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped |
Season chicken breasts with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and sear the chicken until browned on 1 side.
Flip the chicken and brown other side.
Add the orange juice to the skillet and let cook down.
In a large bowl, combine the rice, onions, pecans, and orange zest. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve the chicken alongside the rice and a green salad for a complete meal.
Serves 4.
Grilled Chicken and Vegetables with Lemon-Walnut Sauce
This grilled chicken and vegetable dish gets a boost from a rich, pureed walnut sauce. While nuts have plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, they are also high in fat, so watch how much sauce you use on each portion. Other vegetables, such as artichokes, carrots, eggplant, or endive, can be used in place of or in addition to the zucchini and asparagus.
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• 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted • 1 small shallot, very finely chopped • 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 2 zucchini, sliced diagonally 1/4-inch thick • 1/2 pound asparagus • 1 red onion, sliced 1/3-inch thick • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning |
Preheat a grill to medium-high.
Put the walnuts, shallots, olive oil, lemon juice, and zest in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.
Season the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and grill on an oiled grate until cooked through, about 7–8 minutes a side or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 180 degrees in the thickest part.
When the chicken is halfway done, put the vegetables on the grill. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the chicken and vegetables to taste.
To serve, lay the grilled veggies on a plate, place the chicken breast on the grilled vegetables, and spoon the lemon-walnut sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Serves 4.
Lebanese Grilled Chicken
This grilled chicken is flavored with baharaat, an Arabic spice mix that includes cumin, paprika, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. The chicken must be marinated in these spices for several hours, or overnight. If you are looking to cut calories, use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken.
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• 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar • Zest and juice of 1 lemon • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 2 teaspoons sea salt |
• 1 teaspoon Arabic 7 spices (baharaat) • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces |
Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in a shallow dish or plastic bag.
Place the chicken in the bag or dish and marinate overnight, or at least for several hours.
Drain, reserving the marinade. Heat the grill to medium-high.
Cook the chicken pieces for 10–14 minutes, brushing them with the marinade every 5 minutes or so.
The chicken is done when the crust is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 180 degrees in the thickest parts. Remove skin before eating.
Serves 4.
Marinated Chicken
This Italian inspired chicken has a bright, fresh taste from the combination of lemon and rosemary. Lean chicken breasts are a good choice for cutting calories. Make extra to use in salads and sandwiches.
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• 1/2 cup olive oil • 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary • 1 teaspoon minced garlic • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts |
Mix all ingredients except the chicken together in a plastic bag or bowl.
Place the chicken in the container and shake/stir so the marinade thoroughly coats the chicken.
Refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Heat a grill to medium heat and cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes a side. Turn only once during the cooking process.
Serve with a Greek salad and brown rice.
Serves 4.
Niçoise Chicken
This dish, inspired by Nice on the French Riviera, makes an easy and elegant meal—simple enough for every day, yet special enough for company. Don’t skip the fresh tarragon, which really gives this dish some flair.
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• 1/4 cup olive oil • 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 4 pounds chicken breast from 1 cut-up chicken • 5 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped • 1/2 cup white wine • 1 (14-1/2 ounce) can chicken broth |
• 1/2 cup black Niçoise olives, pitted • Juice of 1 lemon • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan or stew pot over medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender and translucent.
Add the chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes to brown slightly.
Add the tomatoes, white wine, and chicken broth, cover, and simmer 30–45 minutes on medium-low heat, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thickened slightly.
Remove the lid and add the olives and lemon juice.
Cook an additional 10–15 minutes to thicken the sauce further.
Stir in the parsley and tarragon, and season to taste. Serve immediately with noodles or potatoes and a dark leafy salad.
Serves 6.
Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken
Pomegranates have been grown in the Mediterranean region for a long time and are prominent in many Middle Eastern dishes. In this recipe, the pomegranate juice makes a sweet, fruity glaze for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. From start to finish, this dish takes less than thirty minutes to prepare.
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• 1 teaspoon cumin • 1 clove garlic, minced • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts |
• 1 cup pomegranate juice (no sugar added) • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 fresh pomegranate, seeds removed |
Mix the cumin, garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and rub into the chicken.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken breasts and sauté for 10 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, so the chicken breasts are golden brown on each side.
Add the pomegranate juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and thyme.
Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduces by half.
Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving platter, and top with fresh pomegranate seeds.
Serves 6.
Roast Chicken
Roast chicken may seem intimidating, but it’s actually one of the simplest chicken dishes you can make. Remember, small portions of meat and large portions of vegetables are the Mediterranean way! Prepare this chicken for a lazy Sunday dinner, and you’ll have leftovers for lunch on Monday.
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• 1/4 cup white wine • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
• 1 large roasting chicken, giblets removed • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks • 1 fennel bulb, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks |
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the white wine, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, mustard, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper in a small bowl.
Place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan on a roasting rack.
Rub the entire chicken, including the cavity, with the wine and mustard mixture.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Toss the vegetables with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and place around the chicken.
Turn the heat down to 375 degrees.
Roast an additional 40–60 minutes, basting the chicken every 15 minutes with the drippings in the bottom of the pan.
Cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 170–180 degrees in between the thigh and the body of the chicken. When you remove the instant-read thermometer, the juices should run clear.
Let the chicken rest for at least 10–15 minutes before serving.
Serves 4.
Roasted Cornish Hen with Figs
Tiny Cornish hens make an elegant presentation for any special dinner. The figs and white wine add sweetness and depth to this simple dish, while fresh figs provide a good source of fiber.
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• 2 Cornish game hens • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 1 pound fresh figs • 1 cup dry white wine |
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the Cornish hens in a shallow roasting pan and brush them with olive oil.
Season liberally with Herbes de Provence, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Roast the hens for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Add the figs and white wine, and cover the hens with aluminum foil. Cook an additional 20–30 minutes, or until the hens are cooked through. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 2.