Paleo Chicken Tenders

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There have been some frozen chicken breasts sitting in my freezer since we moved in. I can't tell you how many times I almost thawed them for dinner, but I kept changing my mind. Chicken is boring, right?

Wrong. CHICKEN TENDYS. I miss them. But, I'm not interested in breaking paleo for them, because it makes me cranky when I break my own rules. So, what's a girl to do?

Well, after these popcorn shrimp and another experiment making fish and chips, I finally got the hang of paleo-ifying fried, breaded yumminess. It's really not even that hard, yet the result was so insanely satisfying. So good, so filling, and so good for you. 

I'm not going to bore you with some philosophical mumbo jumbo because your time is running out and you seriously need to make these.

Enjoy.

 

Paleo Chicken Tenders

Adapted from: Generation Y Foodie
Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 egg, beaten
• cooking spray (i used coconut oil)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 365
2. Cut chicken breasts into chicken tender sizes. I cut each one in half length wise so they were each about  1-1.5 inches wide. 
3. Mix together all remaining ingredients except egg and cooking spray. 
4. Coat the chicken in egg and then with almond meal/spices.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 (25 total).

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Any other junk/comfort food you'd like to see paleo-ified?
• What's your favorite fast food chain, and your favorite thing on their menu?

Chicken and Veggie Soup - 10 Minute Dinner

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Sometimes, meals are born out of true creative genius. Like suddenly realizing that chickpea fake cookie dough might also be delicious baked as an actual cookie. And then there are times when things are born out of pure necessity. This would be the latter. :)

 

Recently, I put some thinly sliced chicken breasts in the oven to bake them and then flat out forgot. After doing some cleaning around the apartment and watching one okay, two episodes of 30 Rock, an alarm suddenly went off in my head. THE CHICKEN!

I pulled it out of the oven only to see that it was totally, totally dry. Like, so dry that my fiance immediately declared it inedible. Challenge accepted, my love.

The next day, I used a pizza cutter to slice it up into bite sized pieces. I steamed a bag of veggies and put it all in a pot with low sodium chicken broth (SERIOUSLY, GO LOW SODIUM!). And... voila. Chicken and Veggie soup.

Chicken and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pre-cooked chicken breasts
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bag frozen steamable vegetables (I used a carrot, corn, pea mix)

Directions:

1. Put the frozen veggies in the microwave to steam.
2. Cut chicken breasts. 
3. Combine in a pot with chicken broth and heat over medium temperature until hot.

It's good to-go, too! Put it in a mason jar (or something else that closes securely - God forbid you have a purse spill) and take it to work!

Chicken Avocado Sriracha Sandwich on Toasted Rye

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A month or so ago, my fiance and I grabbed a loaf of Rye bread at the grocer. It made for a few delicious meals, but I'm finally burnt out on it (plus I'm kicking fancy bread to the curb... oh, who am I kidding?).

Really, though, all bread issues aside, this makes for a delicious meal. You've got your lean protein (chicken), your healthy fats (avocado), and your cheese (which is its own food group, right?). Oh, right. And SRIRACHA. Say it like that. Sri-raaaah-chuhhh. It's so fun.

And, while Rye bread may have lost its allure, it's only because I ate it every day for a month. And because, when it comes to food, I tend to get a bit obsessive and use an ingredient in as many ways as I possibly can before I retire it. So, let's just say I used up my Rye bread taste buds. For now.

But these pictures are pretty seductive, aren't they? Bow chicka wow. Or... whatever.

To be honest with you, this recipe evolved out of a lack of time. Which is code for "laziness." You see, sometimes I want a delicious meal, but I just don't have the energy to spend the time to make something complicated. The days when there are leftovers in the fridge but you just don't feel like eating the exact same thing over again. 

Especially if you're following my advice to pre-bake chicken for your lunches/dinners, this should be quite an easy meal to put together.

Chicken Avocado Sriracha Sandwich on Toasted Rye

Ingredients:

• Rye Bread
• 1/3 cooked Chicken Breast, Sliced
• Shredded Cheese
• Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 Avocado, sliced into thin pieces
• Sriracha

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay both pieces of Rye bread on a baking pan (I used an older pan I have that is pretty damaged -- if you're using a newer pan, lay a piece of foil or parchment paper underneath to avoid burning cheese onto your pan).
3. Spread a thin layer of cheese on one side (YUM!), then add chicken pieces.
4. Leaving the sandwich in two pieces, put it in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Then, add slices of avocado and drizzle Sriracha. 
5. Serve!

Cilantro Chicken Swiss Chard Wraps (with Teriyaki Sauce)

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Swiss Chard is my new best friend. Seriously. Any of you low carb dieters out there ought to introduce yourself to Swiss Chard. Go ahead. Don't be shy. Just walk right up and... take a bite. 

Why? Because Swiss Chard is the perfect substitution for any of the following: bread, sandwich wraps, tortillas, taco shells, etc etc etc... Basically, anything that you used to use as any sort of wrap.

I've seen numerous "lettuce wrap" recipes (and even created one of my own, many moons ago) that use regular big pieces of lettuce. These are surely delicious (as I said, I've tried them!), but I do have two issues...

1. First, regular P.F. Changs-inspired lettuce wraps take far too long to make. There is too much chopping and slicing and dicing and mixing and measuring... so, while some of you methodical and detail-oriented folks may thrive on the recipe, it's just not feasible for my tiny little attention span... Good thing these Swiss Chard Wraps are easy and have half the ingredients!
2. Second, the large lettuce leaves typically used in P.F. Changs-inspired lettuce wraps break quite easily. This creates a physical mess on my plate as well as an emotional mess when I fail to get all of the food into my mouth. Oh. The. Agony. Good thing these Swiss Chard Wraps are unbreakable (seriously) and actually act like a wrap, instead of breaking all over your plate!

Have I convinced you yet? Come on! Just try a bite...

Cilantro Chicken Swiss Chard Wraps

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Calories: 209
WW Points (Old): 4
WW PointsPlus (New): 5
Servings: 4


Ingredients:

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - Either 3 regular chicken breasts or 8 thinly sliced (I used 1 package of thinly sliced chicken breasts for quicker cooking and cutting)
• 3 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• 1 cup of Cilantro, chopped
• 4 stalks Green Onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Sunflower Seeds
• 2 Tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce (look for a low-sugar version, if possible)
• Lemon Juice from 1 Lemon
• 8-10 large leafs of Swiss Chard, rinsed
• Optional: Shredded cheese to top

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a medium pan with White Wine Vinegar over medium heat. Sprinkle half of the Cavender's Greek Seasoning on top of the chicken breasts. After 10-12 minutes, flip each piece of chicken and sprinkle the other side with seasoning, then cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until there is no visible pink meat within a cut chicken piece.
2. While chicken breasts are cooking, chop cilantro and green onion and place in a medium bowl.
3. Once chicken breasts are cooked, chop into small pieces (mine were less than 1/2 inch on each side... you're welcome to be more or less picky!) and add to the bowl with cilantro and green onion.
4. Add sunflower seeds, teriyaki sauce, and lemon juice to the bowl and toss or shake well.
5. Serve with rinsed leaves of Swiss Chard, which can be used just like a lettuce wrap or tortilla/taco wrap. Garnish with your chosen shredded cheese, if desired!

Greek Chicken Garlic Salad

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It's the season of new years resolution. Yeah, I know, I've been beating this point to death... But, with so many resolutions to lose weight, work out, and eat better, I'm hearing a lot more chatter around the office about calories, nutrition, and food. 

A salad a day sounds like a great plan... and it is, provided that you're eating the right salad. If you're eating out, be careful -- many seemingly "good" salads are actually "bad" ones. Don't. Be. Fooled.  Some salads at TGI Fridays, Applebees, and California Pizza Kitchen will run you between 1,000 and 2,000 calories (don't believe me? Read this post). A rule of thumb: Avoid croutons (and toppings like tortilla chips and crispy noodles), creamy dressings, and most Mexican themed salads. For more tips, click here.

This week, in honor of your new year's resolution to eat healthier (or count calories, or get in shape, etc, try this: Instead of shelling out the cash (and calories) for a daily salad at your favorite restaurant, stop by the grocery store and picking up the supplies to make your own.  Here's a recipe for Greek Chicken Garlic Salad (for more Salad Recipes, check out my Food page).

Ingredients (Salad):

• 2 heads of lettuce
• 6 baby carrots
• ½ Onion
• Fresh grated sharp cheddar (to taste)
• 2 chicken breasts or 2 cans of chicken
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Greek Lemon seasoning 
• 1 handful Sliced almonds (or other available nuts)

Ingredients (Dressing):

• 2/3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon honey

Preparation Directions:

1. Saute chicken, Olive Oil, and Greek Seasoning over medium-high heat for 15 minutes (or until cooked). I started with two cans of chicken because it was all I had on hand and this was a last minute improv kind of meal... so, being pre-cooked, the time was much shorter than it would be for raw chicken breasts.
2. Chop lettuce and onions to your personal preference (I cut the onion into thin, 1 inch pieces). Cut carrots to preference (I cut them into small, 1/4 inch thick discs).
3. Combine lettuce, onion, carrots, and almonds in a bowl. 
4. Grate fresh sharp cheddar on top
5. Add cooked and seasoned chicken
6. Prepare dressing by combining all 5 ingredients and mixing well.
7. Serve!

 

Here are some links for further reading:

MSNBC 5 Restaurant Salads That Are Worse Than A Whopper

Men's Health 20 Salads That Are Worse Than A Whopper

Men's Health Best Bottled Salad Dressings