Buying a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store can make
meal preparation really easy. You buy a
whole cooked chicken, then take apart the pieces you want. It is important to remember that some parts
of the chicken are healthier than others.
The skin is going to be the least healthy part. The skin itself contains a lot of saturated
fat. It is also where the butter and
salt get laid on before the chicken is cooked.
So I always peel off the skin.
The dark meat is higher in fat than the white meat. So when you are deciding which meat to use
for which recipe, use the higher fat meat with a lower fat recipes.
So here are some ideas on how to use the
chicken meat:
Use thigh meat for a Chicken Taco Salad
Make a salad of greens, strips of red and green bell peppers, onion. Top with salsa, a small sprinkle of Mexican cheese, a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt, and plash of hot sauce. Throw on the pulled chicken meat and you've got a super fast dinner. If you don't like uncooked peppers and onions, saute them for about 5 minutes in a little canola oil and sprinkle with pepper and paprika.
Use breast meat for a Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich
In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine, 3 tbsp plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp Caesar dressing, 1 tbsp grated parmesan, pulled meat of one chicken breast, 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir so that the dressing coats everything. Toast a bun or roll, or use pita bread. Recipe makes 2 sandwiches
Use thigh meat for a Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad
Make a salad of romaine and spinach. Top with chopped green bell pepper, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, a few walnuts, and chicken meat. Make a dressing of 1 part Dijon mustard, 2 parts olive oil, 2 parts balsamic vinegar, plus a pinch of salt and pepper.
Use breast meat for a Greek Chicken Salad Sandwich
In a food processor, chop 1 smal cucumber and 2 peeled garlic cloves. Then in a bowl, mix together shredded chicken, the chopped cucumber, 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp crumbled feta, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp dried dill. Toast a bun or roll, or use pita bread. Recipe makes 2 sandwiches.
Use breast or tenderloin meat for a quick BBQ Chicken Pizza
Use a small spoonful of BBQ sauce to mix with the shredded chicken meat. Spread a small amount of BBQ sauce over the inside of each half of a sandwich thin ( such as
Arnold Breads), then top with thinly sliced red onion, a few thin slices of green bell pepper, and the chicken. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of shredded mozzarella cheese on each sandwich half. Set a toaster oven to 'Broil' on low, or a 'Pizza' setting and cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
The first step to following a healthy meal plan is to actually have a meal plan. The next step is to follow it. I usually plan out meals once or twice per week. This helps limit my trips to the grocery store. And when I get home from work, I know what I am going to start cooking.
