Healthy Chicken Recipes

People strive to find recipes that provide delicious and healthy food. Health-conscious people focus on preparing low-fat dishes that are delicious and easily prepared. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and at the same time low in fat. Using healthy chicken recipes will significantly lower the blood cholesterol, thereby improving your overall health and fitness level. People love this versatile meat, which can be prepared in various lip-smacking forms.

Be it a healthy chicken salad or any other chicken recipe, choosing the right chicken for your dish is very important .If you opt for the cheap battery-reared chicken, you will get a greasy and stringy dish with a flat taste. These chickens are fed on a high-calorie diet that gives them a lot of fat but no muscle. On the other hand, choosing an organic chicken will give you firm and full-flavored meat. Organic birds are raised on a better diet and roam free under better and more humane conditions. This chicken will obviously cost more but will give you better taste and quality.

To further decrease the level of fat, you can trim off some areas, especially on the thighs, and enjoy a healthier meal. You should never leave raw chicken at room temperature. To prevent contamination, always wash chicken with cold water. Store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within two days. Similarly, cooked chicken shouldn’t be left out for more than two hours. Frozen chicken can easily sit in your freezer for one year without any harm.

A little creativity in your kitchen can whip up new low-fat and healthy chicken recipes for your entire family. If you cannot find a particular ingredient, try replacing it with some substitute and see the all-new dish prepared exclusively by you. While preparing food, follow basic safety rules and avoid accidents in your kitchen. This will ensure you safely prepare tasty meals for everyday consumption focused towards a healthy and long life.

Chicken Stock

The basis of a good soup is usually a good stock. Once you know how to make a good stock, you can use it for an almost endless variety of soups. This is a recipe I use for chicken stock that's easy to make, and tastes delicious. I usually make extra, and freeze what I don't use.

1 Whole Chicken, about 3 pounds

8 cups water

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into large chunks

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2-3 sprigs of parsley

1-2 sprigs of sage

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme (please, no Simon and Garfunkel jokes)

2 tsp. salt

Cut the chicken up into pieces.

Put the chicken, and the rest of the ingredients into a large kettle, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken, and place in a bowl to cool.

Pour the stock through a colander lined with cheesecloth, and chill.

When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and freeze or refrigerate the chicken for another use.

Skim the fat off of the stock, and refrigerate, freeze, or use immediately.

Yield: About 6 cups of stock, about 4 cups of chicken.

Don't feel constrained by the ingredients and amounts listed in this recipe. You can use other herbs for a different flavor. You could add ginger peels and lemongrass for an Asian flavor. Just let your imagination run wild.

You don't need to use a whole chicken either. You can buy the bone-in chicken breasts, and remove the bones before cooking. Then just put the bones in a plastic bag, and put them into the freezer. Then when you're ready to make the stock, just take the bones out and use them in the stock.

Once you've learned to make this chicken stock, you can use it as a basis for many different soups... chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, peanut butter soup... again, just let your imagination run wild with it, and enjoy!

Weight Loss Recipe: Curried Chicken & Mango Salad

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces
1 cup peeled and cubed mango

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Add chicken and mango and toss gently to coat. Arrange dark green lettuce leaves around a serving bowl and spoon mixture into bowl.

For extra crunch, serve with a side dish of red and green bell pepper, romaine lettuce, chopped celery and cucumber.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving of Curried Chicken:
Calories: 218
Total fat: 3 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 73 mg
Sodium: 170 mg
Carbohydrate: 17 grams
Protein: 30 grams
Dietary fiber: 1 gram

Low Carb Chicken Recipes Made Easy

Do you have an interest in cooking? Or, are you interested for some of the low carb chicken recipes? If so, then you have found the right page for your need. Why? Obviously, it is for the main reason that in this article you will find two of the favorite low carb chicken recipes that you can add to your low carb chicken recipe collection. It is also interesting to know that these provided low carb chicken recipes are taken from the most trusted resources on low carb chicken recipes. So read on for your great advantage.

So here is one of the great low carb chicken recipes that will give you a sense of satisfaction before and after preparing it. Well, this low carb chicken recipe is named as Crunchy Pecan Chicken. Generally, this low carb chicken recipe is a skillet chicken recipe that has a coating of ground pecans and Parmesan cheese. This is basically composed of one cup of ground pecans, ฝ cup of grated parmesan cheese, ฝ teaspoon of garlic salt, ฝ teaspoon of dried leaf basil that is crumbled, lemon juice for dipping, 4 boneless chicken breast halves that are also pounded to make flat and even in thickness, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

In terms of the procedures involved in this low carb chicken recipe, all you need to do is to combine the pecans, cheese, garlic salt and basil in a huge low dish. Then put the lemon juice in another low dish; dip the chicken in juice and then coat with pecan mixture. After that, you heat oil until moderately hot, and then add the chicken. The average period for each piece of chicken to be cooked is 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. As simple as that!

The other notable low carb chicken recipe is what is known as Smacking Wings. Accordingly, this low carb chicken recipe is about wings that are tangy and sweet version of Buffalo wings. This is basically composed of 16 chicken wings, ฝ cup of salad oil, ผ cup of balsamic vinegar, ผ cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of cane syrup or dark corn syrup, 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, ฝ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, ฝ teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ผ Worcestershire sauce, ผ teaspoon cayenne, and ผ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. The directions for this low carb chicken recipe are just so simple and brief. You just need to cut off and discard the bony wing tips, and cut the remaining wings in half. Then in a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and blend well. Marinate the wings in this mixture for one hour in the refrigerator and then grill in a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

3 Easy to Cook Chicken Recipes for a Lovely Treat

We all love spicy chicken; except if you are allergic or you just can't love spicy food. Being a chicken lover myself, I have collected 3 hot n' spicy recipes for you to try out in your chicken today or anytime you would like to treat yourself for a deelicious meal; they make good family specials as well! Although they have similar names, they are very different. Perhaps their origins differ.

Hot N' Spicy Chicken Recipe #1. Spicy Chicken Wings

- 1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. oregano
- 4 tbsp. parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 stick margarine
- 4-5 lbs. chicken wings

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.

#2. Hot Chicken Wings

Chicken wings
1/2 stick margarine
1 bottle Durkee hot sauce
2 tbsp. honey
10 shakes Tabasco
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Deep fry wings for 20 minutes. Drain and dip and let set in sauce. Take out to dry and then serve.

#3. Hot-N-Spicy Chicken Wings

5 lbs. bag chicken wings (drumettes)
12 fl. oz. Louisiana Pre Crystal Hot Sauce
1-2 sticks butter

Fry chicken wings until golden brown and drain on paper towel. Mix hot sauce and melted butter and pour into deep pan or crock pot. Add chicken wings to sauce and heat thoroughly.

The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken

A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both in Barbeque contest as well as backyard barbeques is the beer-can chicken. Cooking a beer-can chicken couldn’t be any easier but the results are worthwhile. This is a technique that delivers a moist, succulent chicken and flavorful chicken. It’s also a bit of a showstopper and makes a lively conversation starter as well. Is it chicken in a beer can? Close but try beer can in a chicken. The beer is used to both keep the bird flavorful and moist, and the cook happy. By the time the bird is ready to eat, the chef will not be the only one with a beer belly!

Is it safe to eat chicken that has been in contact with the ink from a beer can? When the FDA was asked this question they were not sure because they have only tested the cans as a container and not as a cooking utensil. However the ink on the cans is applied at a temperature in excess of 500 degrees while the can never get hotter then 215 degrees during the cooking process. The conclusion by most is that there is nothing harmful in using the cans.

For those cooks who still worry about possible contamination, vertical stainless steel chicken roasters are available. These roasters have their own reservoir for beer, water or your choice of liquid.

1 whole chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub

1 can beer

Preparing the chicken

Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub or brush the chicken lightly with oil then season inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub.

Open a can of beer and drink half. Wait 5 minutes then drink the other half and open a second can for the chicken. Drink half of the second beer and reserve remainder of beer for the bird. Using a "church key"-style can opener, pop a few more holes in the top of the can so that the moisture will be able to escape.

With the can on a steady surface, lower the chicken onto the can. It should stand on it’s own using the legs and can as a tri-pod. Refrigerate the bird while you get your grill or smoker setup.

Preparing the grill

Whether you intend to grill or smoke the bird, the goal is indirect heat. No coals or burner directly under the chicken. Place a drip pan under where you intend the bird to sit. If you are grilling, turn the burners to medium-high on one side of your grill and place the bird on the other side.


Cooking the chicken

Continue to cook the chicken over medium-high with the grill cover on for approximately 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours. The chicken will be done when the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh. Remove from grill with tongs and move to cutting board. Be careful not to spill the beer when removing the can. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.

Only With Beer Can Chicken Taste Good

Only with beer can chicken taste good – a sentiment shared by passionate beer drinkers. Gourmet meals are enjoyed by many; when one thinks of the beverages served in a high class restaurant, wine comes to mind most frequently. A diner may choose a tasty liquer such as Drambuie or whiskey to enjoy with coffee after a fine meal. It brings to mind silk dresses, tuxedos, a night at the opera. Many traditionalists would be surprised to learn that beer is now on the fine dining menu.

Despite its sporty, pub-crawl, keg party reputation, beer has been transformed into a chilled, foamy beverage served among the elite. It is becoming commonplace for hosts and hostesses to wonder what beer to serve with the meal they will serve their guests. On recent observation at a restaurant, I saw the people at the next table peruse a list of beers, not wine.

What type of beer goes with the dishes served at dinner parties and in restaurants? There are many different types of beer: lager, ale, pilsner, brown, bock, porter and stout. How do these beers pair up with food? There are so many types of food to choose from: Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, British, German etc. The easy answer is to choose what you, the diner, believe to be a great taste match. Everyone’s tastes differ and there are enough choices to go around. For those of you who are stuck and don’t know where to begin, the following is a good place to start.

One possibility is to choose a beer that matches the country of origin of the food being served. I recently went out for sushi and decided to have a Japanese beer with my tempura and maki. I have never tasted the beers from Japan before and I enjoy new experiences. I chose Kirin beer, which was a light, delicate beer ideally suited to the delicate tastes of sushi. The Kirin website (www.kirin.com) claims their beer has complimented sushi for almost a century.

In Mexico and south western United States, some people like to drink chilli beer – a lager style beer that is rich, malty and roasty. This rather hot beer is the perfect match for spicy Mexican offerings such as burritos. I like to drink Corona beer with lime as it is the perfect match for natchos and tacos.

British beef and Yorkshire pudding go best with a stout beer like Guinness. Guinness itself is like a meal in a glass. A hearty meal tastes better with a hearty beer. A stout beer can also be paired with other heavier meals such as lasagne, pasta, pizza and game dishes.

Fish dishes demand a delicate beer mate – unless the fish is heavily battered and deep-fried. Fresh fish tastes best with a pilsner or a light lager. Fish and chips, British-style, can accompany a brown ale or a heavier lager.

Chicken tastes good with almost anything and the choice of beer depends on individual tastes. Dramatic-tasting chicken dishes, such as curried or Thai heavily-spiced chicken can be paired with stronger beers like a malty amber or a dry porter. A roasted chicken might go well with a light lager or pilsner.

To end a dinner, diners may want to try dark ale, cream stout, Oatmeal Stout, Double Bock or Scotch Ale. All of these beers are heavy and sweet and would taste great with cheesecake or tortes. Imperial Stout needs a dessert made with chocolate as it is quite bitter and heavy.

If the dessert is light and fruity, perhaps a fruit-flavoured lambic would go well. Lambics are wheat beers produced in Belgium and some of them are flavoured with raspberry, cherry and peach. It is common sense that a fruity beer would pair well with a fruity dessert.

What an amazing, unique experience it would be to invite friends over for a six-course meal using various beers for each course, pairing each dish with an appropriate beer. It would be the dinner party talked about for years to come.