Good Housekeeping 400 Calorie Chicken

Like many family cooks, you may already be preparing chicken a couple of nights a week and looking for new inspiration. Whether you want to stir-fry chicken tenders, braise bone-in parts, or roast the whole bird, chicken provides a succulent canvas for just about any mix of ethnic flavors, herbs, and spices. All this and a great nutrition profile, too—it’s no wonder that chicken has become the most frequently served main dish on American dinner tables.

This versatility and widespread popularity makes chicken a natural subject for our 400-calorie series. In this volume, we share 60 delicious recipes for chicken entrées, from quick stir-fries, sautés, grills, and salads to slow-cooked soups, stews, roasts, and casseroles. You’ll find low-cal takes on satisfyingly familiar dishes like chicken potpie, barbecue, and even “fried” chicken (we oven-bake it rather than deep-fry it to keep it skinny), along with tasty traditional recipes from a wide variety of cultures—Jerk Chicken Kabobs, Chicken Bruschetta, and Chicken, Bouillabaisse-Style.

As the title of the book promises, every single main dish is 400 calories or less, and as a bonus, we’ve included chapters on sides (and even skinny desserts!) that will help you round out your meals. From veggies and side salads like Corn on the Cob with Molasses Butter and Tricolor Slaw to potato and whole-grain dishes like Warm Dijon Potato Salad and Polenta and Spinach Gratin to sweet bites like Apricot Oatmeal Cookies and Summer Fruit in Spiced Syrup, the more than 30 add-on recipes are organized by calorie count—from lowest to highest. Simply choose your chicken main dish, then use your surplus calories to select an add-on (or two!) that will make it a meal.

For example, if you’re watching your weight and limiting dinners to 500 calories maximum, enjoy BBQ Chicken Cutlets with Citrus Slaw (265 calories) with a side of our Light Mashed Potatoes (145 calories), and finish with one of our Healthy Makeover Brownies (95 calories): 265 + 145 + 95 = 505 calories. With Good Housekeeping 400 Calorie Chicken, it’s easy to build a satisfying low-calorie meal. See “Skinny Meal Planning,” opposite, for tips on how to create fabulous low-cal meals with chicken playing the starring role.

SKINNY MEAL PLANNING

Planning low-calorie brunches, lunches, and dinners is easy with Good Housekeeping 400 Calorie Chicken. Prepare the add-ons we’ve suggested under “Make It a Meal” with each main-dish recipe to make 500-calorie dinners or 400-calorie lunches and brunches. Or get creative and choose from the sides and dessert recipe lists on Veggies & Side Salads, Potatoes, Beans & Grains, and Sweet Bites to make your own meal combos. Here are examples of flavorful (and skinny!) chicken meals to get you started.

SAMPLE BRUNCH MENU
MAIN: Asian Chicken Salad	285 calories
ADD-ON: Summer Fruit in Spiced Syrup	125 calories
Total calories per meal	410 calories

SAMPLE LUNCH MENU
MAIN: Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Pear Slaw	230 calories
ADD-ON: Sweet-Potato Corn Sticks	170 calories
Total calories per meal	400 calories

SAMPLE DINNER MENU
MAIN: Almond-Crusted Chicken	350 calories
ADD-ON: Roasted Acorn Squash	150 calories
Total calories per meal	500 calories

CHOOSING CHICKEN

Chicken’s versatility and affordability make it hugely popular, and the poultry industry has responded to consumer demand for more convenient cuts and high-quality options. Take the following pointers into account when you buy and cook chicken.

• Take advantage of lean, quick-cooking cuts. Many of our recipes call for skinless chicken breast halves, which may include the tenderloin, a long, narrow muscle attached to the underside of the breast. Tenderloins, or chicken tenders, are great for finger food, salads, and stir-fries because they are already bite-size and super fast to cook. For even faster cooking, use chicken cutlets: breasts with the tenderloin removed and cut in half horizontally.

• Serve chicken skinless. Chicken skin gets 80 percent of its calories from fat, so it makes sense to serve your bird without it. You don’t have to remove the skin before cooking, though. According to the USDA, it makes little nutritional difference in the fat content whether the skin is removed before or after cooking. But it does make a difference in taste. Especially when roasting whole chicken, you’ll get a moister, more tender result if you cook it with the skin intact.

• Weigh the pros and cons of white meat versus dark. The breast is the tenderest part of the bird—and the leanest. A 3½-ounce portion of the breast meat without skin has about 4 grams of fat, while the same amount of dark meat has about 10 grams. However, removing the skin from dark meat slashes the amount of fat almost in half.

White meat is ideal for quick, moist cooking methods like stir-frying and sautéing; it also works well with dry-heat methods such as grilling. Dark meat comes into its own in long-simmered casseroles and stews. While it’s true that poultry cooked on the bone has the best flavor and tends to be juicier, seasonings and marinades add flavor and moisture to boneless thighs and breasts, which are convenient and cook quickly.

• Buy the best-quality chicken you can afford. If you are looking for a good-quality bird for your family, you have more options than ever, including natural, organic, and free-range chickens. This trio of options typically deliver a healthier bird with better flavor (organic chicken is free of added hormones and antibiotics), so experiment if your budget allows.

LIGHT AND HEALTHY TECHNIQUES

We use high-flavor, low-fat cooking techniques in the chicken recipes throughout this book. Some are slow, others fast, but all can be a low-maintenance part of your light and healthy cooking repertoire.

Stir-frying: This fast cooking method yields quick, tasty results and requires only a small amount of oil. Small pieces of food are cooked over high heat in a wok or skillet, stirred constantly to keep the food from sticking or burning. Vegetables and pieces of chicken should be sliced or chopped to roughly the same size to ensure even cooking; the fastest-cooking ingredients should be the last items you add to the pan. Our Basil Chile Chicken Stir-Fry and Tangerine Chicken Stir-Fry use this fast and flavorful method. Tip: When a recipe calls for soy sauce, use the reduced-sodium kind or dilute regular soy sauce with water, using a 2:1 ratio.

Sautéing: The cousin of stir-frying, sautéing is used to quickly cook larger pieces of food like whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a small amount of oil. We include lots of recipes for this easy, skinny cooking method; for starters, see Chicken Dill Sauté and Skillet Chicken with Two Sauces. Tip: Nonstick skillets are perfect for sautéing (see “Safe Nonstick Cooking,”).

Braising and Stewing: Few dishes satisfy as much as braised chicken pieces or a long-simmered stew. Braising is usually done in a Dutch oven or pot with a heavy bottom and tight-fitting lid. For the richest flavor, brown the poultry (first cut into chunks if you’re making stew), add vegetables and a small amount of stock or water, cover tightly, and simmer. Chicken will become meltingly tender through this moist-heat method in under an hour.

Tip: A slow cooker makes braising and stewing especially easy. Brown the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker, if you like. Then add the rest of the ingredients, set the heat level as recipe specifies, and go about your business until dinnertime.

SAFE NONSTICK COOKING

Nonstick pans will help you prepare chicken dishes in a flash, with little added oil. However, they’ve recently come under fire over concerns about dangerous chemical emissions. Just be aware that the cookware is safe as long as it’s not overheated. (At temperatures above 500°F, the coating may begin to break down, releasing toxic particles and gases.) Any food that cooks quickly over low or medium heat and coats most of the pan’s surface (which lowers the pan’s temperature) is unlikely to cause problems. Follow these cook-safe guidelines:

Never preheat an empty nonstick pan, even one with oil in it.

Don’t cook over high heat. Most nonstick manufacturers now advise consumers not to go above medium.

Ventilate your kitchen. When cooking, turn on the exhaust fan to help clear away any fumes.

Don’t broil or sear chicken. Those techniques require temperatures above what a nonstick pan can usually handle.

Choose a heavier nonstick pan. Lightweight pans generally heat up fastest and may scorch more quickly too.

Avoid scratching or chipping the pan. Use wooden spoons for stirring, don’t use steel wool for cleaning, and don’t stack the pans when you store them. (If you do, place a paper towel between them.)

Grilling: Whether you grill outdoors on a gas or charcoal grill or indoors in a ridged grill pan, the intense heat caramelizes the crust and lends delicious smoky flavor to any cut of chicken. Much of the fat drips away during the process, making this quick and easy method an excellent choice for those looking to lighten up. Because this method is so simple and popular, we’ve included an entire chapter of grilled chicken recipes; Hot Off The Grill. Tip: To intensify flavor, use a dry rub or marinade.

LOW-CAL BBQ SAUCE

Meet your newest license to grill: a low-cal, but still sweet, barbecue sauce.

In 2-quart saucepan, combine one 14½-ounce can no-salt-added tomatoes, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard, 1 crushed garlic clove, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 chopped medium Gala apple. Heat for 3 minutes over high heat; reduce heat to medium; simmer for 30 minutes. Puree until smooth. Makes 2 cups sauce. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Baking: Chicken can be baked in the oven in covered cookware with a little liquid, which ensures that it won’t dry out. Baked Honey-Lime Drumsticks and Rosemary-Apricot Chicken are two delicious examples of this low-maintenance technique. Tip: Baking also can be used as a low-cal alternative to deep-frying. When chicken is breaded and baked, you get a similarly crispy coating without so much added fat. Our Finger Food Feast coats chicken drumsticks in light panko-style bread crumbs with gratifyingly crispy results.

Roasting: Slow-cooking chicken and vegetables in the oven intensifies their natural flavors. The interior of the food becomes succulent and tender, while the exterior develops a delightfully caramelized crust. You’ll need a heavy, shallow roasting pan; place chicken, uncovered, on a rack in the center of the oven so the hot air can circulate freely. When your roast chicken recipe includes vegetables, spread them out in a single layer, or they will steam instead of caramelizing. Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs and Roast Chicken Béarnaise are just two of our succulent roast chicken recipes.

Tip: The only way to guarantee that chicken is roasted to the desired doneness is to use an instant-read thermometer. To ensure an accurate reading, always insert the thermometer into the center or thickest part of the roast or chicken pieces without touching any bone or fatty sections. The thermometer should register a minimum temperature of 165°F before you remove the poultry from the oven.