Posts Tagged ‘ Chicken ’

Simple Dieting Tips & Healthy Eating Plans – Chocolate Diet v Low Fat Chicken Recipes

January 21, 2011
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Did you ever hear the likes, a “chocolate diet?” Brace yourself because you hear right. Chocolate acts as a vitamin replacement; if this is true then healthy benefits derived from this particular diet may not be so bad after all

The chocolate diet is just one of many fad diets which include you eating favorite foods. While consuming your specified amount of yummy allowance keep in mind it is supposed to control high blood pressure and prevent heart disease. Although encouraging reasons for using the diet, what of rotting teeth and the people who bang weight on if they as much look at a bar of chocolate.

The diet mainly consists of fluids. Powder or supplements are given to the dieter to mix with milk or water. Is this not cocoa as we all know it?

Chocolate contains anti-oxidants that help prevent arteries clogging. Does this not leave the dieter in a catch 22 situation after being advised to avoid sugary foods because of fattening issues? Weighing up the good and bad is it not healthier to carry a little excess weight to avoid pores clogging or having a heart attack. Chocolate prevents heart disease and obesity increases the risk of heart disease. Is obesity not the same as fat? I am confused.

Chocolate powder shakes are not for replacing or substituting meals, but designed as healthy snacks to stop a rumbling belly. Is this diet so bad when the sugar supply gives us that much needed energy boost?

The question is does the chocolate diet work.. It’s not clear that chocolate stimulates metabolism or helps the fat burning process. Beyond that, too much of anything can be bad. While chocolate does have health benefits, a diet with an emphasis in chocolate may not be the best way to lose weight. To shed pounds stick with a sensible eating plan.

Diet – Throughout the day you can munch two 40 gram bars of chocolate and drink sugar-free coffee with non-fat milk. Make eating exciting and appetizing, mix chocolate chips with strawberries in a glass bowl. Glass allows visibility of the delicious filling which guarantees lip licking. Slice a couple of bananas and drizzle melted dark chocolate over them. You have to take the chocolate diet for 5-7 days and no longer. After one course take a break for 3-4 days. The chocolate diet is a decreased calorie diet that centers on drinking liquid diet shakes to fill the gap. People use it as a replacement for food and if you consume less food this clearly indicate fewer calories.

I am not sure I agree this can be called a sensible diet when evidence proves different i.e. pounds piling on instead of dropping off and decaying teeth. Before dieting speak to your doctor or dietician

The sensible thing to do is ignore fad diets and embark on the sensible by following a sensible eating plan. Choose the wrong diet can be dangerous – seek expert advice. The best way to evaluate a diet is by the promises made. Overnight weight loss or miracle cures are promotional pledges you should snub.

Crash dieting is unhealthy. Weight loss is for more than just losing pounds. Exercise for skin and muscle tone is just as important. Exercise is necessary but it won’t replace a diet. A combination of both is ideally the key source to losing weight. Give yourself time to adjust and not to lose focus when you begin your first diet.

Consider a low-key diet that aims at healthy foods:

1 Choose an apple over a chocolate bar.

2 Cut out cordials and drink water.

3 Walk rather than use the car or bus.

4 Limit portion sizes of what you eat. It is easier than counting calories and carbohydrates.

5 Use a smaller plate to serve dinner on.

6 Replace sticky puddings for pieces of fruit

To lose weight, fewer calories have to be burned off than what you take in. Skipping meals and eating fewer calories can cause severe consequences; it can lead to binge scoffing later because of low energy and blood sugar levels. A sensible and healthy eating plan will include between 1200 and 1400 calories daily for women and 1500 to 1800 calories for men. Breakfast being the most important meal of the day is one you must not skip. Eat 4 to 5 times a day but in moderation.

Chicken breast is a good source of protein also low in fat. Two recipes below cooked in 15-30 minutes, low in fat, and under 400 calories a serving

Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs

4 Blocks of egg noodles
2 Skinless chicken breasts
1 Jar/195g yellow bean sauce
3 Button mushrooms
1 Medium courgette
½ yellow & red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions
1 red chilli
Wooden skewers
Method

1. Fill large pot with water – bring to the boil, add noodles, return to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes.

2. Dice chicken breasts and place in a bowl. Add ¾ jar of yellow bean sauce and stir coating the chicken.

3. Preheat grill.

4. Prepare mushrooms into quarters; slice courgette; deseed. Slice peppers into squares. Size is up to you.

5. Skewer a mushroom quarter followed by chicken, courgette, pepper and so on.

6. Place kebabs on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes turning frequently.

7. Heat some oil to smoking point in a wok, add spring onions chilli and stir fry for 60 seconds. Add noodles and remaining sauce – stir to coat. Heat through.

8. Serve kebabs over noodles.

Chicken Pancakes

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
3 Skinless chicken breasts
Jar hoi sin spring onion stir fry sauce
Spring onions, sliced lengthways
1 Cucumber
8 Chinese pancakes
Method

1. Slice spring onions lengthways into 3″strips. Cube cucumber and slice into thin batons.

2. Thinly cut chicken into strips.

3. Heat oil in wok till piping hot, add chicken and stir fry for 7- 8 minutes

4. Preheat Chinese pancakes as instructed on packet.

5. Add stir fry sauce to cooked chicken – coat and heat through.

6. Serve chicken spring onions and cucumber onto pancake – roll and serve

Enjoy – stay slim and healthy

The Right Diet

Depressed Being Overweight

Grilled Chicken Calories

January 12, 2011
By

Grilled chicken is a better option for health conscious people who love it for its finger licking flavor. Chicken is grilled after marinating and seasoning with different herbs and spices. It is slowly roasted to juicy perfection. Grilled chicken calories are usually fewer and there is fewer fat and less sodium in it. Grilled chicken is considered as nutritious food which is included in muscle building diet as well as in weight loss diets.

Chicken is considered as staple food which is loved by all, children and elderly. It is packed with proteins which are good for muscle building. Chicken, in any form keeps you satiated for a longer period of time. Innovative chicken recipes are always searched by people. Hundreds of ingredients can be used to marinate chicken before grilling. For instance, oil, vinegar, ketchup, seasonings, citric acid, garlic, cumin, oregano, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mustard, orange peel and juice, thyme, etc. Or grilled chicken can be topped in various manners. For example, grilled chicken topped with mushrooms and cheese, topped with a relish of corn kernels, black beans, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, etc. You can get grilled chicken served on greens with fruits, feta cheese with a blackberry vinaigrette dressing. Grilled chicken calories will be different in each case. Read more on how to make grilled chicken.

Grilled Chicken Calorie Count

Chicken breast, wings, drumsticks, thighs, etc. are grilled and each item will contain different number of calories. Read more on how long to grill chicken breast. Grilled chicken calories will vary according to the chicken part, serving size, ingredients and method of preparation. Grilled chicken calorie count will depend upon type of chicken, whether it is lean, without skin, boneless or with bones and skin etc.

Calories in Grilled Chicken, Breast, Grilled Without Skin, Eat Meat Only –
Large portion, 150 gm – 222 calories,
Med portion, 130 gm – 192 calories,
Small portion, 100 gm – 148 calories.
Mesquite Grilled Chicken Calories per Ounce –
31 calories of Chicken Breast, no skin and
5 calories of mesquite marinade (0.19 tbsp) – 36 calories
Calories in Grilled Chicken Breast – 355 gm – 320 calories
Grilled Chicken Calories, Wings – 37 gm – 80 calories
Grilled Chicken Calories, Drumstick, – 42 gm – 70 calories
Grilled Chicken Calories – Thigh – 71 gm – 150 calories
The following numbers of calories are for 3.5 oz (100 gr) raw chicken (broilers or fryers):
110 calories in chicken breast, 170 calories with skin
119 calories in chicken drumstick, 161 calories with skin
119 calories in chicken thigh, 211 calories with skin
120 calories in chicken leg, 187 calories with skin
124 calories in chicken giblet
125 calories in chicken dark meat, 237 calories with skin
126 calories in chicken wing, 237 with skin
137 calories in chicken back, 319 with skin
So you must have noticed that there is quite a difference between the calories in chicken parts. In chicken without skin, a calorie difference of up to 27 calories per 3.5 oz can be observed while in chicken with skin, a calorie difference of up to 149 calories per 3.5 oz can be noticed.!!! That’s a big difference! In fact, chicken skin offers lot of calories since it has a lot of fat in it. If you wish to cut down on the calories in chicken, skin should be removed.

Read more on:
Calories in Chicken Soup
Calories in Chicken Salad
Grilling a chicken is always healthier and better than frying it. Most of the people include chicken in their healthy diet. So it is important to know all about the nutrition facts and calories in chicken. I hope you find the above information on grilled chicken calories helpful.

Chicken: Nutrition in Chicken

October 29, 2010
By

Everybody loves to eat chicken, whether deep fried, in a gravy, in soups, or shredded inside sandwiches and paninis. But do you know anything about the nutrition in chicken? Chicken has many nutritious benefits, but the method of cooking employed will alter its calorie value as well as nutrition value. The best way to have a chicken is to poach it. Poaching chicken helps to retain all its essential nutrients and there is no added calories as in the case of deep fried chicken. Moreover the poaching liquid can be used for creating delicious home made soups and stews. Here we will discuss about chicken nutrition based on the method of cooking used and the serving size.

Chicken Nutrition Facts

Chicken is one of the most popular sources of white meat. It is eaten by most people and the best thing about chicken is that unlike red meat like pork and beef, it is comparatively lesser in fat. People who are suffering from high blood pressure and heart diseases, can safely eat chicken (in controlled portion size). The most important chicken nutritional info is that it is a rich source of protein, selenium and vitamin B6 and zinc. It also contains high amounts of potassium, which is an essential mineral required by the body. One of the most important nutritional facts about chicken is that it has very low amounts of sodium, which makes it the ideal product to be consumed by people suffering from high blood pressure. Chicken meat from around the thighs or dark chicken meat contain myoglobin, which is full of iron. Chicken nutritional benefits are many and it is good to know about them.

Skinless chicken breast also is considerably less in fat than chicken breast with skin. So people who are watching their weight should stick to skinless chicken breast. The fact is that chicken skin consists mostly of fat. So if you remove the skin of the chicken, you will save around 100 calories per bird. Chicken skin is also high in fats. A chicken breast with skin contains around 14 g fat but without the skin the same chicken breast has only 3g fat. Additionally, certain cuts of chicken are more nutritious and less fatty than others. Chicken nutrition depends a great deal on how it is cooked. Grilled, baked and poached chicken retains their nutritive value as well as considerably low in calories than batter fried and deep fried varieties.

Nutrition in Chicken

Here is a table that gives you the breakdown of chicken nutrition that is cooked by different methods.

Chicken Cooking Style
Serving Size
Calories
Protein (g)
Sodium (mg)
Cholesterol (mg)
Total Fat (g)
Chicken breast, baked
3
180
26
25
80
9
Chicken breast, baked, skinless
3
120
24
65
70
1.5
Chicken steak, poached
3
90
18
50
55
5
Grilled chicken breast,
marinated in rosemary
and Balsamic vinegar
3
110
24
125
65
1.5
Skinless chicken drumsticks
3
96
18
80
95
4
Skinless baked chicken drumstick
3
130
23
80
80
4
Baked Chicken wings
3
190
18
50
115
13
Thigh cutlets, broiled
3
140
19
40
85
7
Gizzards and heart
3
120
19
80
235
5
Whole chicken, roasted
3
200
19
40
90
14

This was all about chicken nutrition based on different cooking methods. As you have seen, cooking chicken by different methods contain different chicken nutrition values. Although chicken is recognized as a healthy food, it is a mistake to assume that consuming any type of chicken preparation is a healthy option. The best way to prepare chicken is to use minimum amount of oil by simply grilling it or baking it in an oven. Deep frying or stir frying chicken in lots of oil adds high amounts of trans fatty acids as well as calories to the dish. Also avoid fatty dressings like mayonnaise and butter and instead marinade the chicken in olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and lots of herbs and spices to impart flavor. This way you will fully benefit from chicken nutrition and can have a healthy meal. Knowing some cooked chicken nutrition facts will help you to make healthy chicken dishes for your family.

Chicken Lasagna Recipes

October 25, 2010
By

Lasagna is a famous Italian food. Most of the lasagna recipes are like sandwiches; you can put anything between the lasagna layers. Given below are some delicious chicken lasagna recipes.

Saporito Chicken Lasagna
Ingredients

1 pound turkey Italian sausage
3/4 pound diced chicken
1 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cans (6.5 ounce) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 fresh whole wheat lasagna noodles
16 ounces cheddar cheese
1 egg
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
2/3 cup fresh chopped basil
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DirectionsIn a Dutch oven, cook sausage, diced chicken, onion, and garlic over medium heat until it is brown. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, water and crushed tomatoes. Season it with freshly chopped basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sugar, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Boil, covered, for about 90 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt to it. Cook whole wheat lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles before rinsing in cold water. In a mixing bowl, mix preheated cheddar cheese with egg, the remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
First, spread 1 and 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Then, arrange 6 noodle sheets lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread one half of the cheddar cheese mixture. Spread a third of mozzarella cheese slices on the top. Add 1 and 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and spread 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers, and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. You can cover it with foil, but spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Just make sure that the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Bake it for an additional 25 minutes, after removing the foil. Cool it for 15 minutes before serving.
Chicken Lasagna Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, chopped
1 can (8 ounce) mushroom soup
1 can (8 ounce) cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
6 ounces shredded mozzarella
DirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Take a large saucepan and heat the butter over medium heat. Add the green bell pepper and onions and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until they are soft and translucent; it will take about 15 minutes. Add the chicken, mushroom soup, pimientos, and chicken broth. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend.
Pour about 1/3 of the chicken mixture into a medium sized baking dish. Arrange the noodles over the chicken, repeat the chicken and noodle layers twice. Spread lasagna with cheese, and cover it with aluminum foil. Remove the foil after baking for 20 minutes and bake again until the cheese is nicely browned, for about 10 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to set for 5 minutes before serving.
It can also be served as a gravy with rice.

Chicken and Broccoli Lasagna
Ingredients
2 cups milk
4 tablespoon flour
4 lasagna noodles
2 cups broccoli
4 tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves minced onions
1 ½ cup diced chicken
3 eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 pinch red pepper, ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch nutmeg
DirectionsTo make sauce: Melt butter, mix it with flour, and stir. Add milk, whisk it until it is smooth. Stir it in the broth and cook. Keep stirring constantly until it becomes thick.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl, add small amount of sauce; then mix the egg with the sauce. Add the seasonings and cheese while stirring.
Cook noodles in boiling water, drain and rinse in cold water.
Fry chicken in butter with onion and garlic. Stir in broccoli, cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add the seasonings.
In a 9×13 pan, layer sauce, mozzarella, noodles and chicken.
Repeat the layers and finish with cheese.
First freeze it, then bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes, until it bubbles. Allow it to set for 5 minutes and serve.
Chicken Enchilada Lasagna
Ingredients
1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce
1/2 cup of salsa
1 pkt of chicken strips (precooked)
1 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoon sliced black olives
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup (separate into two 1/4 cups) green onion
2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
2 cups (30) baked tortilla chips
8 corn tortilla (6 inch) (cut in half with kitchen shears)
2 cups low- fat Mexican cheese, shredded
DirectionsTake a 13×9 pan, spray with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix salsa with enchilada sauce, reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture.
In the same bowl, mix enchilada sauce mixture with sour cream, chicken, 1/4 cup of the green onions, and taco seasoning.
Pour reserved 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish. Arrange 8 tortilla pieces over the sauce, according to the available space. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas; spread 2/3 cup of cheese. Repeat the layers.
Cover it with a foil. Bake for about 35 minutes at 375 degrees F. Layer Tortilla chips, tomato, olives, 1/4 cup green onion and remaining 2/3 cup cheese and bake again for 5 minutes. Let it set for 10 minutes before serving.
Try these food recipes; I am sure, you will find them amazing!

Deep Fried Chicken Recipes

October 13, 2010
By

No matter what time of the day you mention it, deep friend chicken sounds like an extremely interesting and appetizing snack for chicken lovers. If you’re bored of the traditional deep fried chicken recipes, I am sharing with you some of my best and most innovative deep fried chicken recipes that will satiate your taste buds for sure.

Deep Fried Chicken Recipe 1 # Mint and Lemon Chicken

This is a great recipe, which combines the goodness of chicken with a relatively light flavor of refreshing mint leaves, a hint of spicy green chilies and a splash of tangy lemon zest. Makes for a great appetizer as well as a side dish to serve along with the main course. It is really very easy to make, just requires time for the marinating step. Try it out and let me know how it turned out!

Ingredients

Chopped chicken nuggets-1½ cup
Fresh mint leaves – ½ cup
Fresh green chilies- 2 or 3
Fresh lemon -1
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Salt

Preparation

Grind the chilies, and the mint together to form a paste.
Apply the mint and chilly paste to all the chicken nuggets.
Now sprinkle the nuggets with the lemon zest (grate the lemon skin over the chicken) and add salt.
Allow the chicken nuggets to marinate for about two to three hours.
Now heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan.
Once, the oil is sufficiently heated, deep fry the chicken nuggets until they are golden brown.
Once, fried, remove on a tissue paper to soak up the excess oil.
Now transfer to the serving dish. Garnish with some fresh mint leaves and serve with slices of fresh lime.
Deep Fried Chicken Recipe 2 # Sweet and Sour Tamarind Chicken

This recipe has a flavor of Chinese cuisine with the soy sauce and sesame seeds and also has the Thai touch with the tangy tamarind. Sweet and sour crispy chicken with tangy tamarind flavor is not only amazingly delicious but also surprisingly easy to make. This recipe will leave your guests raving about your culinary skills. Deliciously crispy, deep fried chicken covered in tangy tamarind, rich soy sauce, and crispy roasted sesame seeds are a must try…

Ingredients

Chopped chicken nuggets-1½ cup
Tamarind paste –2/3 teaspoon
Tomato Puree – 1 tablespoon
Red chilly powder – ½ teaspoon
All purpose flour –1/2 cup
Sugar –1 teaspoon
Salt- 1½ teaspoons
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Water
Spring onion
Fresh coriander leaves

For the Sauce:

Tamarind paste –2 teaspoon
Soy sauce – 2 teaspoon
Water – 1 cup
Sugar –2 teaspoon
Salt ½ teaspoon
Roasted sesame seeds- 2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder – ½ teaspoon

Preparation
First of all make the sauce by mixing the tamarind paste, sugar, salt and chilly powder in water and bring it to a boil.
Keep the sauce aside and work on the batter now.
First of all mix the flour with the tomato puree, tamarind paste, red chilly powder, sugar and salt.
Mix the ingredients until you get a smooth batter and add water only if required.
Now heat the oil in a deep frying pan for about 2 minutes.
Now dip the nuggets in the batter briefly and immediately deep fry.
Transfer the nuggets on a dish covered with tissues to soak the excess oil.
Now, place the nuggets on the serving dish, pour the tangy sauce over the nuggets and garnish with chopped spring onions and coriander.
Deep Fried Chicken Recipe 3 # Crispy Fried Spicy Chicken

This is a recipe, which is close to the Indian style of cooking, with the use of a variety of Indian spices and fresh tomato and onions. With the flavoring of spicy ginger, garlic, cinnamon and pepper, this recipe has a rich and spicy taste that will titillate the taste buds. This can be served as an accompaniment with drinks at a cocktail party or as an entrée. Try it out and let me know how good it was…

Ingredients

Chopped boneless chicken – 2 cups
Vegetable oil
Lettuce
Tomato Slices

For the Marinade

Chopped onion –1
Chopped tomato –1
Cinnamon powder – ½ teaspoon
Garlic cloves – 5
Ginger paste – ½ teaspoon
Clove – 1
Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Black Pepper – ½ teaspoon
Sugar – 1½ teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon

Preparation
First of all mix all the ingredients mentioned for the marinade and grind them together to form a smooth paste.
Carefully apply the marinade to the chicken. Make sure you spread the marinade thoroughly to cover the chicken pieces.
Marinate the chicken for about two hours.
Heat the oil in the deep frying pan.
Deep fry the chicken pieces and allow them to drain excess oil over oil absorbent paper.
Transfer over the serving dish and serve with crunchy lettuce and juicy tomato slices.

Chicken Nutritional Benefits

October 8, 2010
By

Chicken is consumed by a lot of people today. Everyone wants to have those juicy cooked chicken pieces. Pizzas, sandwiches, rolls and curries without chicken don’t seem that interesting to us anymore. Chicken is the best alternative we can get to red meat and is available all year round. Here are some chicken nutrition facts for you to go through.

Chicken Nutritional Benefits

Minerals
Minerals constitute a very important place in our diet and contribute to chicken nutrition value. They fulfill many basic and important needs of the body. From growth to immunity issues, they have the answers to it all. They add to the nutritional benefits of chicken making it healthier. These are some of the minerals that can be obtained from chicken.

Chicken contains phosphorus, an extremely vital mineral. It helps maintain bone and teeth health and plays an important role in the proper working of liver and kidneys. It is an equally important element in the central nervous system functioning.
Chicken also contains selenium, a trace mineral which helps DNA repair and is also a part of many important metabolic pathways like antioxidant defense systems, immune function and thyroid hormone metabolism.
Chicken contains zinc too, which functions in more than 80 hormones and enzymes. It helps in reproduction, growth, maintenance of glucose tolerance and healing of wounds. Deficiency is this mineral has shown a variety of side effects ranging from surgical and physical injury to diabetes.
Chicken is also a good source for the mineral iron. Its most important function is to carry oxygen to human blood cells. Deficiency in this mineral can lead to reduction in immune system capacity and anemia.
Vitamins
Vitamins are a very important part of our diet. We know that deficiency of some vitamins can lead to major health problems and thus their consumption is very important. Chicken foods provide us with some very important vitamins as follows.
Chicken contains niacin, a cancer-protective B vitamin. In 2004, the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry said that adequate consumption of chicken and other niacin-rich foods helps protect against Alzheimer’s.
Chicken also contains vitamin B6 which is a methyl donor and helps in the process of methylation. Deficiency of this can lead to the damaging of blood vessels.
Another vitamin we obtain from chicken is the vitamin B12. Chicken is one of the high vitamin B12 rich foods. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause loss of balance due to tingling legs and arms, weakness and anemia. Chicken is one of the most known sources of vitamin B12. These vitaminB12 benefits add to the chicken nutritional benefits.
Vitamin D is another vitamin we obtain from chicken. Vitamin D helps bone health and helps in heart problems by relieving stiffness in arteries. Surprisingly, it also helps in the prevention of flu.
Proteins
Proteins are the building blocks necessary for mental and overall physical growth. Chicken contains a lot of protein and can thus be used as an alternative if reduction in consumption of fats is required. 4 ounces of chicken meet 67.6% of the daily protein requirement. Protein helps in the reduction of bone loss and thus should be consumed by older people as it helps in preserving bone. Since we get our amino acids from plant and animal sources, chicken can prove to be very helpful in providing protein in bulk.

Chicken Nutritional Value

Nutrient
Grams
Total Fat
4g
Saturated Fat
1g
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
85mg
Sodium
74mg
Total Carbohydrate
(Dietary Fiber and Sugars)
0mg
Protein
31g

This one 100 gram serving contains 165 calories out of which 32 are from fat.

Overall, nutritional value of chicken can be summed up to provide the most important of proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, the preparation of the chicken should of course be considered, as well as the type of parts that are being used to make chicken recipes. It should be skinned as it reduces the fat content to a major extent. There are other chicken food facts that should be considered before consuming chicken in any form. Refrigeration of chicken is also important as it is not supposed to be exposed to heat and this may reduce the chicken nutrition value.

How to Bake Chicken Breast

July 4, 2010
By
How to Bake Chicken Breast

Boneless chicken breasts are a wonderful, easy to work with raw material. They are versatile and can be used in a number of different meals. The best part about chicken breast is that they are the healthiest cut of the chicken, the one recommended for heart patients. Whenever possible, buy boneless chicken breast that is on sale as opposed to the packaged frozen ones. There are hundreds of different ways to use chicken breast; they can be used in sandwiches, skillet dinners, casseroles and pasta dishes, cut into strips for salads, and also in many crockpot dishes. There are also many different ways of how to bake chicken breast, so we will explain to you the basics. Learn more chicken recipes.

How to Bake Chicken Breast in the Oven

If not knowing how to bake boneless chicken breast held you back so far, let it no longer, for the process is incredibly easy. This easy preparation gives up flavorful results:You need split chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon of herb butter for each breast, at room temperature and salt and pepper.
As always, start by heating the oven to 375°F. For the herb butter, all you need to do is mix some of your favorite herbs into the butter.
Make a slit in the skin and carefully slip your fingers in to create space between the skin and the meat. Try not to tear the skin. Ease in a tablespoon of herb butter and under the skin of each breast.
Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray and place the chicken breasts in it.
People are often confused about how long to bake chicken breast, often pulling it out while it is still raw. The ideal baking times is between 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts.
It is best to check the chicken breasts after 45 minutes. If you feel it is done, pull it out as you want it to retain its moisture. Let it stand for 5 minutes before digging in.
How to Grill Chicken Breasts

Apart from the split chicken breasts, you will need 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 2 to 4 tablespoons of barbecue sauce per breast, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, and Irvine Spices Smokey Rotisserie Blend Seasoning. Start by filling a deep pot with water and bringing it to a boil.Drop the chicken into the water and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the chicken, drain the water and allow it to cool.
In the meantime mix together the Smokey Rotisserie seasoning, chopped garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. When the chicken is cool to touch, rub the chicken breasts with the mixture, cover and refrigerated for 30 minutes in the least.
Preheat your grill and spray with cooking spray. Place chicken on hot grill and cook for 7 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for five more minutes.
Add some of the barbecue sauce to the chicken and turn it over. As it cooks, cover the other side of the chicken breast with barbecue sauce. Wait 5 minutes and then turn again. After another 5 minutes, your chicken should be done. Check and if not done, keep cooking for two-to-three minutes per side.
As chicken breasts are fairly tender and cook easily, which is why they are most often cooked in a skillet. One of the best ways of how to cook chicken breast in a pan is recipe that includes bell peppers, prosciutto and wine. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then brown it in the pan. In the pan, cook together bell peppers (red and yellow), prosciutto, garlic, diced tomatoes, white wine, thyme and oregano to form a rich gravy. Then add in the chicken breast and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, remove and serve.

Read About:
Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
The above instructions teach you the basics of how to bake chicken breast. Armed with this knowledge, you can try the hundred of different preparations of baked chicken breast. Bon appetit!

Chicken and Noodle Soup is Easy to Make

July 4, 2010
By

Chicken and Noodle Soup is Easy to Make

Food Articles | May 11, 2010

I have memories of my grandmother’s homemade chicken and dumplings, and
to this day, I’ve never had any that come close.  Unfortunately, I
don’t have that recipe, but I’ve come up with a chicken noodle soup
recipe that my kids love.

It’s really not that difficult to make great tasting Chicken and Noodle Soup.  Really!  With the convenience of using a supermarket roasted chicken, you can get incredible flavor without starting from scratch.

When I started testing recipes, I looked through all my conventional cookbooks, gourmet cookbooks, online, etc. All the recipes I found seemed to lack the flavor I was looking for – you know, that great ‘chickeny’ depth of homemade chicken soup? So, I started looking in those cookbooks from churches and women’s organizations. 

Although I didn’t find the exact recipe there, I did have some thoughts that led to my current method.  I use a noodle recipe from a very sweet lady who goes to my church, Delores Koster. Her soup recipe is in the St. Francis Xavier, Carbondale, Illinois Cookbook.

The struggle I was having lied in making the stock/broth/base for the soup. That’s when I decided there had to be a better, easier, faster way to get the flavor I wanted without waiting for a whoe chicken, vegetables and some seasonings to figure out how to marry together appropriately.

One night after my daughter’s basketball game, we stopped to get a rotisserie chicken and the grocery store for dinner. My family only likes the white meat, so we have part of the chicken left over.  Rather than tossing it, because no one liked the dark meat, I froze the whole thing until I could figure out how to use up the remaining chicken.

My son had been asking for homemade chicken and noodles, and that’s when I decided to give it a try.  I added what was left of the rotisserie chicken into water with some vegetables and spices to make the base for the soup.  After a couple of hours of simmering on the stove – and it smelled great – I strained the mixture and boned what was left of the chicken.  Ironically, my kids don’t really like a lot of chicken in their soup, so this idea works out great for us. And, for some reason, they eat the dark meat in this soup.

I add the noodles and let it simmer for at least an hour or two.  Usually, I have towater prior to adding the noodles.  The result is really good.  It has become one of those meals that everyone looks forward to, and the kids always ask for when they don’t feel well.  I guess that’s the true test of chicken soup, right?  I hope you enjoy it, too! 

By the way, feel free to add new carrots or whatever other kind of vegetables you would like to this soup.  My kids prefer to have a bowl of steamed broccolli and cauliflower that they can dip in the broth, so I don’t add anything but noodles to the strained broth for us.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken – or the remaining part of one. (If you like a lot of chicken in your soup, you may want to add a chicken breast or two if not using a whole chicken)
1 Medium Onion, quartered
2 Stalks Celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
5 whole Peppercorns
1 T. Poultry Seasoning
1 T. Sea Salt
Water

In a Dutch Oven, or large soup pot. Add all of the above ingredients except water.  Pour enough water over to cover ingredients by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave uncovered for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2. I like to start this first thing in the morning to have for lunch, or at noon for an early dinner.

With a slotted spook, or spider, strain chicken, bones, and vegetables out of pot.  Put pot back on burner, and add about 3 cups of water.

Bone chicken, reserving meat for the soup.  If you would like to add vegetables, especially carrots, do so now.  If adding peas, you can wait until the last 10 minutes of total cooking time.

Noodles

1 egg
3 egg yolks
Cold water
2 C. Flour
2 t. Salt

In a medium mixing bowl, add all eggs.  Whisk until light.  Add 3 tablespoons of cold water and salt and whisk until well blended.

Add flour and mix with a fork until you can gather it up in your hands and form a ball.  Depending on the weather, I’ve had to ad a bit more water to bring it together; but, be careful not to add to much and make it sticky.

Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes.  This is important because it allows the dough to be rolled out much easier, and less like elastic. 

flour the area where you will roll out the dough. 

Roll out the dough into a large circle.  I get it as thin as I can, about 1/8 inch, although some people like their noodles thicker. If you prefer them thick, you will need to add for time for cooking to make them tender.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into noodles the desired width and length you prefer.

Put the noodles into the simmering broth and continue to simmer for at least 1/2 hour, but they are more tender if you have the time to let them simmer for an hour.

You can add the chicken about the last 15 minutes.

Taste for seasoningScience Articles Article Tags:
Rotisserie Chicken

Mary Mechler has been cooking and baking since she was 5 years old. Mary is excited to share her love of cooking and great cooking tools with others who are cooking enthusiasts, through the website, http://cookprostore.com which offers chefs knives, kitchen cookware and kitchen cutlery.
If you find something you like, and place an order, we’ll include a free copy of Amy Coleman’s cookbook while supplies last!

Chicken Nutrition Facts

July 4, 2010
By
Chicken Nutrition Facts

Among the large variety of meat available today, chicken continues to be a popular option for a large number of people across the world. This can be attributed to the fact that its comparatively economical, and highly nutritious. Chicken nutrition facts, like it being an important source of protein with just 0.3 g saturated fat in a 100 g serving, tend to make it popular among foodies and health enthusiasts alike.

Nutritional Facts About Chicken

Chicken nutrition facts, such as high in proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and low in fat and cholesterol, make chicken a major component of a healthy diet. In fact, dietitians recommend that chicken should make it to your food plate at least thrice a week. In chicken nutrition, protein content plays an important role as a 100 g serving of chicken provides more than half of recommended daily protein intake for humans. If our body is not provided with the required amount of protein daily, it starts using the proteins stored in muscles to generate energy, and hence the protein stores in the body have to be replenished daily. Other than being one of the best source of lean proteins, chicken is also packed with various vitamins, minerals and all nine essential amino acids. It provides you with 40 percent of the daily requirement of selenium. It also has a decent saturated-unsaturated fat ratio. Although fat is required by our body to facilitate energy generation, too much of fat can turn out to be harmful for the body, especially in the long term. Generally, chicken with bone and skin has higher fat content than its boneless or skinless counterpart. However, the fat content in chicken is much lower when compared with other meat. In fact, half of this fat content is unsaturated fat which helps in lowering the cholesterol levels. When it comes to chicken nutrition, iron and zinc content in chicken dark meat is much more higher than that in white meat. Chicken meat also contains significant amounts of phosphorous and potassium, essential for our body. Low calorie count (only 150 calories in a 199 g serving) is yet another important aspect of chicken nutrition. Calories are meant to provide energy, but if they are not utilized properly, they lead to excessive weight gain. Read more on nutritional facts about chicken and nutrition facts.

You can also go through
Chicken Breeds
Different Types of Chicken
Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts

Among the various parts of a chicken, the part with the least amount of fat is the chicken breast. More importantly, skinless chicken breast is much more healthy than its skinned counterpart. Even when compared with other stir-fried meat, lean chicken breast has the lowest amount of fat and saturated fatty acids, which are harmful for our body. A good source of vitamin A and vitamin E, chicken breast is also low in cholesterol. The niacin equivalents in chicken prove to be very useful in the metabolism process.

Chicken Breast: Skinless Vs SkinnedNutrient
Skinless Chicken Breast
Skinned Chicken Breast
Calories
120
170
Fat
1.5 g
7 g
Saturated Fat
0.5
2 g

The protein content and cholesterol levels of both skinless as well as skinned chicken breast are same.

Lesser Known Facts About Chicken Nutrition

One thing to keep in mind is that the nutritional aspects of chicken, undergo a dramatic transformation post-cooking. If you cook chicken at home you tend to take some measures to ensure that the dish is healthy enough, but same thing is not followed in restaurants. Being fried in oil and/or accompanied by tempting salad dressing, chicken doesn’t just lose its nutritional value, but also becomes a high calorie and high fat harmful food. Chicken marinated in oil or roasted in butter may also taste delicious, but it’s not at all healthy.

You may also like to read
Chicken Recipes
Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes
Sesame Chicken Nutrition Facts
Chicken nutrition facts are not just restricted to nutritional content of precooked chicken. You need to ensure that your chicken stays healthy even after cooking, something which you can do by taking some precautionary measures. Chicken skin constitutes a large part of the chicken fat content, and hence removing the skin can ensure that you reduce this fat content to half the actual amount. Baked, roasted or grilled chicken dishes are much more healthier than the fired ones. Instead of using butter and oil to cook chicken, you should ideally use olive oil or nonstick cooking spray meant to keep your dish tasty as well as nutritious.

Meal Ideas with Chicken

June 27, 2010
By
Meal Ideas with Chicken

Chicken is one of the most convenient meats available to try various delicious food recipes. But, sometimes, it happens so that we get bored by ‘trying’ the same old recipes over and over again. Which also evokes the need for some scrumptious and interesting chicken recipes that can be a great substitute for the regular chicken recipes that we try. Well, there are a few easy meal ideas with chicken that you can try to discover a new chicken recipes each day. To make your job easy, I have come up with a few meal ideas with chicken for you. These chicken recipes given below are healthy and easy to make at the same time.

Meal Ideas with Chicken Breast

Poblano Chicken Chowder
Ingredients
Grilled chicken, 3 cups
Chicken broth, 3 quarts
Chicken bouillon granules, 1 tablespoon
Poblano pepper, 3, diced in ½ inch pieces
Large onions, 2, diced in ½ inch pieces
Large carrots, 3, diced in ½ inch pieces
Celery, 5 stalks, ½ inch pieces
White pepper, ½ tablespoon
Minced garlic, 1/8 cup
Fresh cilantro leaves, ½ bunch, minced
Dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon
Ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon
Unsalted butter, ½ cup
Hot sauce, ½ cup
All purpose flour, 1 cup
Heavy cream, 1 cup
Olive oil, ¼ cup
Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot and add garlic, onions, carrots, poblano pepper, white pepper, celery, cumin, thyme and salt in it. Sauté the vegetables well, until they get soft. Add cilantro, chicken bouillon and chicken broth in it and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the grilled chicken pieces and stir well. Keep on heating until the mixture is thick enough. By the time the chicken is getting cooked, heat a skillet and melt the unsalted butter in it. Now add the flour to the butter and stir really well. Stir the flour for 2 minutes, without letting it to turn brown.

Now, add 1 cup of chicken liquid from the stockpot into the flour and whisk it really well. Add 2 more cups of chicken liquid in the flour liquid (one cup at a time) and after stirring it, pour the whole mixture from the skillet into the stockpot. Cook this final batter for about 5 minutes or until it start to get thick. Now, remove the stockpot from the heat and pour in a serving bowl. Add hot sauce and cream on top and serve! You can increase the number of poblano peppers if you wish! More on creamy chicken soup.

Monterey Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
Skinless boneless chicken breasts, 4, cut into strips
Onion, 1, sliced
Green pepper, 1, cut into 2 inch strips
Salsa, ½ cup
Cream of mushroom soup, 1 can
Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
Warmed tortilla, 8
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup
Directions

Heat oil in a skillet and add chicken strips in it. Stir well and cook until it turns brown in color. Afterwards, add onion and pepper into it and cook until the onions get softened. Now, add mushroom soup and salsa in the skillet and heat the mixture until the chicken gets thoroughly cooked. Once the chicken is done, add some of it on each of the tortillas and garnish with generous amount of shredded Monterey Jack cheese and salsa! This is one of the quick meal ideas with chicken that you can try for yourself! Read more on boneless skinless chicken breast recipes.

Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
Chicken breasts, 4, cut into pieces
Basmati rice, 2 cups
Onion,1, chopped
Ginger paste, 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste, 1 teaspoon
Tomato puree, ½ cup
Garam masala powder, 2 teaspoons
Milk, ½ cup
Yogurt, 1 cup
Green chili paste, 1 teaspoon
Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon
Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
Ground cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons
Raisins, 10-12
Oil, for frying
Salt, to taste
Green coriander leaves, for garnishing
Directions

Take a large bowl and combine onion paste, tomato puree, garlic paste, yogurt, ginger paste, green chili paste, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and garam masala (black & white peppercorns, cloves, malibar leaves, long pepper, black cumin, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black, brown, & green cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander seeds) in it. Now, marinade the chicken breast pieces with this mixture and keep it aside for 3-4 hours. Now, heat oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion in it. Once it turns to golden brown in color, add the marinated chicken breasts in it. Cook it well for about 10 minutes. Now, in a pressure cooker, add rice with 4 cups of water. Add ½ cup milk, saffron (if available), cardamom and the chicken pieces to it. Now mix it well and pressure cook the rice. Once done, serve hot with green coriander leaves on top! More on Indian food.

To find some really interesting and healthy meal ideas with chicken, read more on:
Quick Chicken Dinner Ideas
Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes
Healthy Chicken Recipes for Kids
Quick Meal Ideas
Well, these were a few easy meal ideas with chicken which you can try on your own. The ingredients which are used in the above mentioned recipes, especially like garam masala and Monterey Jack chicken are easily available in your nearest grocery store. So I guess there shouldn’t be any problem for you in finding them. So, what are you waiting for? Go and make some of these easy and healthy meal ideas with chicken and enjoy them with your loved ones!

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