Healthy Chicken Chili with Barley

 

I have not posted in over a month! I am so sorry about that! I was so caught up with the dietetic internship shenanigans! From interviews to midterms to spring break, this spring has been crazy! I would like to announce that I have accepted to go to Keene States Dietetic Internship this coming fall! I am so excited to move to New Hampshire and start this new journey! Now that I got that out of the way, I can go back to blogging. This soup I made in March when it was a bit colder but we still have those chilly days in April, or rainy days for that matter. This was so easy ans really filled me up! So much fiber!

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green pepper, trimmed and diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, trimmed and minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash of pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 5 cups water
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• One 14-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• Juice of half a lime

Directions:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, poblano, and zucchini and sautée until all are translucent, about 10 minutes. Push the veggies to the side, and add the chicken skin side down. Brown the chicken for a minute on each side. Add the spices, salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and mix everything together. Add the barley and 5 cups of water. Bring the chili to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook, simmering, for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stew to a plate and leave for about 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Using two forks, pull all the meat off the bones and shred it. Add the green chiles and white beans to the stew and return the shredded chicken, discarding the bones and skin. Stir together and cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and taste for salt, adding more as needed.

Calories: 211

Protein: 11g

Sodium: 600mg

Fat: 2.2g

Carbohydrates: 38g

WW+pts: +5 pts

Chicken Cacciatore

This is such a nice recipe for a change of pace. I had no idea what chicken cacciatore was when I made it, but it looked easy enough so I tried it out. This recipe requires little to no ingredients and time! I would recommend this to anyone! It would be great to make for a big group or even for your loved one!

xo Jackie

Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• 1 medium uncooked onions (chopped)
• 1 medium green pepper (chopped)
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup of wine, dry, red
• 29 oz canned stewed tomatoes
• 2 tbs of fresh parsley, snipped

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add olive oil and heat. Add chicken breasts and cook over medium heat until browned and juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
Add onions, pepper and garlic to skillet. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in wine, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pasta.

Calories: 380

Protein: 55g

Sodium: 582mg

Fat: 7.4g

Carbohydrates: 16.3g

WW+pts: +8 pts

Peachy Chicken Salad

I found this recipe on Taste of Home and it was perfect because peaches were on sale at Kroger! I decided to use canned chicken because it was so much easier for me to make. If you are in a rush, definitely use canned chicken..but if canned chicken grosses you out, make your own chicken and shred it yourself! Up to you! This is great to make ahead of time for the rest of the week!

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 5 minutes Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• a large can of canned chicken (drained)
• 1 peach (sliced and chopped)
• 2 tbs of chopped walnuts
• 3 tbs of low fat mayonnaise (or light)
• 1/4 tsp of cumin
• 2 tbs of raisins

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients. Make sure you drain the chicken prior to mixing the rest of the ingredients together.

Calories: 182

Protein: 8g

Sodium: 331mg

Fat: 11g

Carbohydrates: 11.2g

WW+pts: +4 pts

Chili Lime Chicken

I made this for our “family dinner” at school. It was a hit! As you can see, I had quinoa and kale as a side. Let me know what you think!

xo Jackie 

Prep Time: 30-minutes to 2 hrs Cook Time: 8 minutes Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless chicken breasts halves
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 2 tbs chili powder
• 1 1/2 tbs cumin
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 lime, zested and halved
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• salt (optional)

Directions:

rinse chicken breasts. Pierce them a few times on each side with a fork. In a re-sealable plastic baggie, combine garlic, chili powder, cumin, lime zest, and hot sauce. Mix well. Add chicken and mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator, the chicken in the bag for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Grill chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, until done. Squeeze extra lime juice on top when ready to serve. 

Calories: 300

Protein: 54g

Sodium: 196mg

Fat: 7.1g

Carbohydrates: 2.2g

WW+pts: +7 pts

BBQ Chicken Tenders

I made these with the kids at the Healthy Home Plate Program. They loved them! They are so easy to make for any age group! Its great to teach kids to bake the chicken tenders instead of frying them, to be healthier! The kids loved them, and so did I!

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yields: 24 tenders (3 per person)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of prepared barbecue sauce
• 2 tbs of Dijon mustard
• 2 tbs of honey
• 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs
• Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray

Directions:

Combine barbecue sauce, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce in the small bowl. Cut any large chicken tenders in half lengthwise, then add all the tenders to the large bowl with the remaining sauce; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Generously coat both sides of each tender with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.

NUTRIENT VALUE PER TENDER

Calories: 67

Protein: 8g

Carbohydrates: 8g

Fat: 2g

WW+pts: +2 pts

Fresh Chicken Avocado Wrap

When I was preparing for my half marathon, I found out that I needed to increase my carbohydrate intake. Usually for lunch, I have your typical salad with chicken. This sandwich my mom started to make for me the week before my race. It was easy to have on my lunch breaks at work or when I was off to the beach on the weekends. This is not only a good option for preparing for my race, but also just as a fresh chicken wrap for lunch! This is great for all ages!

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs of light mayonaise
• 1/2 cooked chicken breast (chopped)
• 1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
• 2 tbs of avocado
• 2 slices of tomato (chopped)
• 2 tbs of chopped romaine
• 2 tbs of part skim mozzorella

Directions:

Spread the mayonnaise onto the wrap. Next add the chicken, avocado, tomato, romaine, and cheese. Lastly, wrap the tortilla up and you are ready to eat the sandwich!

Calories: 292

Protein: 14.5g

Sodium: 462mg

Fat: 14g

Carbohydrates: 28g

WW+pts: +7 pts

Hot and Sour Rhubarb Chicken

I had so much rhubarb left, I wanted to incorporate the fruit in a chicken dish. This is not your average chicken dish! This is a bit spicy but the rhubarb actually comes down the spice. This recipe is modified from Food.com, but I would not have this chicken with the noodles (as the original recipe calls). The chicken dish does not have enough juices to make a “sauce” for the meal. So I would suggest to have with rice or quinoa.

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup of rhubarb, chopped up small
• 150 ml water
• 2 tablespoons Agave
• 2 tablespoons light sodium soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 dried red chili
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the chicken pieces in a casserole dish.Mix all the marinade ingredients (rhubarb through to ginger) in a bowl, then pour over the chicken. Mix together. Place in the oven and bake for around 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Check it a couple of times whilst cooking as you may need to give it a stir to stop it sticking.

Calories: 122

Protein: 18g

Sodium: 640mg

Carbohydrates: 5.2g

Fat: 2.5g

WW+pts: +3 pts

Greek Chicken Pita Sandwich

Who doesn’t love a Greek inspired meal? This pita sandwich is so easy to make! You can add any other vegetables you like or olives (since most Greek meals include those)! I made the chicken the night before so all I had to do was heat up the chicken and add the ingredients. It will take you all of 5 minutes. Enjoy!

xo Jackie

Prep Time: 5 minutes Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 chicken breast (cooked and chopped)
• 1/2 oz of feta
• 1 tbs of chopped red onion
• 2 slices of tomato chopped
• 2 tbs of romaine lettuce
• 1 tbs of fat free Italian dressing
• 1/2 whole wheat pita
• Optional: olives

Directions:

Open the pita and place half of the chopped chicken and half of the feta in the bottom. Next add  half of the tomatoes, onion and the lettuce. Add the rest of the ingredients except the dressing. Drizzle the dressing inside the pita once all the ingredients are placed in the pita.

Calories: 170

Protein: 13.4g

Sodium: 543mg

Carbohydrates: 19g

Fat: 5g

WW+pts: +4 pts

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

I had 30 minutes to spare one morning and just came up with this recipe all on my own. My mom tends to send me packages once in a while, and she sent me pistachio nuts a while ago… I needed to use them up since the semester is coming to an end! I have had fish that was coated with almonds, cashews or pistachios so why not chicken? If you are not a pistachio fan, you should still try this recipe! There is not a predominate pistachio flavor, which I think is a good thing. Sometimes pistachio muffins or other baked goods can be too much in my eyes. I would defiantly try this if you have some pistachios lying around. Its super easy and great for you!

xo Jackie 

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium size chicken breasts
• .2 cups (little less than 1/4 of a cup) of de-shelled pistachios
• 2 tbs of parmesan cheese
• 2 tbs of bread crumbs (whole wheat is preferred)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Take the pistachios and blend in a blender until it looks ground. Place that in bowl number 2. In bowl number 1, crack one egg and use a fork to distribute the yolk around. Set the chicken breasts in bowl number 1 as you are preparing bowl number 2. Next, add the cheese and bread crumbs into bowl number 2. One by one, lay the chicken in bowl number 2 allowing the pistachio mixture to cover the entire chicken. Once that is done, lay the chicken onto your baking sheet. Let cook for 10 minutes on each side, flip after 10 minutes.

Calories: 194

Fat: 7.9g

Sodium: 206mg

Carbohydrates: 7.5g

Protein: 23.7g

WW+pts: +5 pts

Curried Chicken Salad

If you love chicken salad, you will love this recipe! I personally love it because its a nice change from regular chicken salad. It was so easy too! This is great as a sandwich or over a bed of lettuce! The picture above shows lettuce wraps, which is another great way to eat the chicken salad!

xo Jackie

Cook Time: 5 minutes Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsps water
• 1 cup grilled chicken breast (chopped skinless)
• 3/4 cup Braeburn Apple (chopped, about 1 small)
• 1/3 cup celery (diced)
• 3 tbsps raisins
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

Grill the chicken if you have not done so already. Next combine mayonnaise, curry powder, and water in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Once the chicken is done, add the grilled chicken, chopped apple, celery, raisins, and salt; stir mixture well to combine. Cover and chill.

Calories: 222

Protein: 17g

Sodium: 731mg

Carbohydrates: 27g

Fat: 5.4g

WW+pts: +6 pts