7. Picadillo-Style Chicken Taco Salad
This healthy chicken dish is loaded with flavor from ample spices, onion, and olives. A delightful hint of sweetness comes from a sprinkling of snipped prunes (seriously, try it before you judge). Crispy tostada shells add a satisfying crunch without the calories and fat of traditional fried taco salad shells.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce uncooked ground chicken
- ⅓ cup chopped onion (1 small)
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- ⅔ cup finely chopped peeled potato (1 small)
- ¼ cup snipped pitted dried plums (prunes)
- ¼ cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 2 corn tostada shells
- 6 cup shredded lettuce
- ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce)
- Sliced green onion (optional)
- Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions
In a large skillet cook chicken and chopped onion over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break up chicken as it cooks. Drain off fat. Add coriander, cumin, and salt to chicken mixture in skillet; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, potato, dried plums, and olives. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Uncover; cook about 3 minutes more or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Meanwhile, heat tostada shells according to package directions until crisp. Arrange shredded romaine on a serving platter. Spoon chicken mixture over romaine. Sprinkle cheese over all. Coarsely crush the tostada shells; sprinkle over salad. If desired, garnish with green onion and/or cilantro.
8. Lemon-Sage Roasted Chicken Thighs
You can’t go wrong with a one-pan dish. A medley of baby carrots, garlic, and shallots cooks alongside tender chicken thighs in a zesty lemon broth, adding a full-bodied flavor. With fewer than 400 calories per serving, this healthy chicken dinner recipe is definitely one to make again and again.
Ingredients
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound baby carrots with 1/2-inch tops, halved if large
- 4 shallots, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 ⅓ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoon snipped fresh sage
- Lemon wedges
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In an extra-large ovenproof skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until brown, turning once. Add carrots, shallots and garlic to skillet. Pour 1/3 cup of the chicken broth and the lemon juice over chicken in skillet. Bring to boiling.
Place skillet in oven; roast, uncovered, about 25 minutes or until chicken is done (180°F) and carrots are just tender. Transfer chicken and carrots to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm.
Whisk flour into remaining broth. Add broth mixture and wine to the hot skillet. Whisk to combine. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Cook and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until liquid is slightly thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in sage and lemon peel. Serve sauce with chicken and carrots. Serve with lemon wedges.