Chicken Pozole Soup

Forecast in NYC this week: rain, rain, and more rain. Even though it’s already April we still have those chilly, rainy, cloudy days…perfect for a hot bowl of soup.  I kept this soup really brothy so it’s not too heavy and also a little spicy to heat things up—inside and out. I made this in my slow cooker (one of my favorite kitchen appliances) but you could definitely make this on the stovetop as well.

Chicken Pozole

Makes 8 servings

1 serving = 1.5 cups = 4 Points Plus (garnishes may alter Point Plus Values)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 4-5 hours

• 1 large onion, large dice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large green bell pepper, large dice
• 1 large poblano chile, large dice
• 2 serrano chiles, sliced (you can remove the seeds if you don’t like it too spicy)
• 1 large zucchini, large dice
• 2 chipotles en adobo, minced
• 1 # tomatillos, chopped
• 14.5 oz canned stewed tomatoes (1 can)
• 15 oz canned hominy (1 can)
• 1 # boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cubed
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chile powder
• ½ tbsp ground coriander

Optional Garnishes:

• Fat-free sour cream
• Cilantro
• Scallions
• Low-fat cheddar cheese

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add all your ingredients and give it a big stir. Season with salt (hold off on the pepper since there’s a lot of hot chiles in there). Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the veggies are tender and the flavors have melded.

 

Get Those Tomatoes In There!

That's Hominy...

 

 

If you want to cook it on your stovetop….

Heat a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add your onions, garlic, poblano, green bell pepper, and serranos. Sweat for 10-12 minutes. Add your zucchini, chipotles, tomatillos, tomatoes, and hominy. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, cumin, chile powder, and ground coriander and bring up to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Then add your chicken thighs. Cook for another hour or so. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Now it’s ready to serve.  The best part about making it in your slow cooker is when you come home it’s already to go. It’s also perfect for storing and freezing. So make a big batch and then portion into small containers for a quick lunch or dinner when you’re feeling lazy.

The second best part of this soup the garnishes. I like to use cilantro, fat-free sour cream, and a low-fat sharp cheddar.

 

Support Your Local Farmer and Artisan!

 

 

I found this AWESOME low-fat cheddar at one of the farmer’s markets in NYC…it’s from Millport Dairy in Lancaster County, PA. I am a big fan of supporting your local farmers and businesses. I give them big credit for making a really tasty low fat cheddar cheese. It has a sharp taste, melts beautifully and adds that extra punch of flavor to my Chicken Pozole Soup. Thanks guys!



Elegant and Easy Weeknight Supper

I know the past few recipes I shared had a laundry list of ingredients, so I wanted to come up with a meal this time around that had less ingredients and shared some “crossover ingredients” (ingredients used in both recipes) that was also really satisfying and delicious.

I found this meal to be like an updated classic of sautéed chicken with mashed potatoes with a little more sophistication and it took no time at all.

Sautéed Chicken Paillards with Grape Sauce

Makes 1 serving

1 serving = 6 Points Plus

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 6 oz chicken breast, cut into thin slices (paillard)
• 1 small shallot, minced
• ¾ cup red seedless grapes, cut into half (can also use green grapes)
• ½ cup of chicken broth
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (feel free to substitute with sherry wine)

Cut the chicken breast into thin slices or paillards. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat your sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sauté the chicken for approximately one minute on each side and then set aside (chicken will not be cooked through, don’t worry).

Turn the heat down to medium and add the shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the grapes and sauté for another 2 minutes or until slightly wilted. Add the chicken broth and thyme and reduce by half.

Add the sherry vinegar and the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through.

Cauliflower and Potato Mash

Makes 3 servings

1 serving = ¾ cup = 4 Points Plus

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

12 oz Yukon gold potatoes, cut in half (leave skins on)

2 garlic cloves, cut in half

1 cup skim milk

4 sprigs of thyme

1 ½ tbsp of Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax (you can use real butter if you prefer)

I never use the microwave to cook food. I actually didn’t even own a microwave for 2 years. However, I recently discovered that steaming some vegetables works really well in microwave, especially cauliflower. I place my florets in a large bowl (microwave safe) with about 2 tbsp of water. Season the cauliflower liberally with salt and pepper. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and cook for about 8-9 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender, checking every 4 minutes. When cooked through, drain water and set aside.

In a separate pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover with COLD water. Season very liberally with salt and bring pot up to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. In a separate small pot, add thyme and milk and bring up to a simmer and let the thyme infuse into the milk.

When potatoes are cooked through, drain the water and place back into the pot (make sure you add the garlic as well). Stir potatoes and garlic until the water has evaporated and they look very dry. Add your steamed cauliflower and milk (without the thyme) and begin to mash. Towards the end of the mashing, add your Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax and season again with salt and pepper.

I like to serve the chicken and potatoes with a simple green vegetable. In this case, it was garlicky sautéed spinach with lemon. The chicken is simple enough to make everyday but also elegant enough for company and if you have grapes lying around in your frig it’s an easy dish to throw together. And don’t skip out on the sherry vinegar; the acidity brings out the sweetness of the grapes.

The cauliflower and potato mash was the biggest surprise of all. I love the texture of potatoes with the skins on and the pieces of cauliflower added another dimension. If you drain your cauliflower properly and dry your potatoes out after they have been cooked you will end up with a fluffy and rich tasting side dish. Enjoy these dishes sometime this week, you won’t be disappointed!

Owww...how elegant!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Let it rest!

Whenever I hear the word “casserole” I usually have an image of baked chicken breasts topped with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and white rice. For this reason, I have always stayed away from making anything with “casserole” in the title. But I recently discovered that a casserole could be so much more than dry chicken and bland sauce.

This recipe definitely has a laundry list of ingredients, but once you throw everything together, the casserole will keep in your frig for at least 5 days and it only gets better with time. Also, it’s always a great idea to bulk up on the veggies when making casseroles because they add great texture and flavor not to mention additional nutrition.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Makes 6 servings

1 serving = 7 Points Plus

• 1 # boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 large onion, small dice
• 1 # bell pepper, small dice
• 1 serrano chile, finely chopped*
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 15 oz canned black beans
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped*
• 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 4 white corn tortillas, cut into 1.5 inch strips
• 3 oz Cabot 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 oz Grana Padano Cheese  (you can substitute Parmesan cheese), grated
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground oregano

*If you do not like spicy food you can reduce or eliminate these ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

First you’re going to poach the chicken breasts. I know…poaching might sound intimidating but it is actually super easy, a great health-conscious technique and it’s perfect in this dish because it keeps the chicken nice and moist.

Take a small pot and place your chicken breasts in the pot. Cover with cold water. Add 2 bay leaves and salt. Bring the pot up to a boil and then turn it down immediately to a “lazy simmer.” A lazy simmer is when a few bubbles break the surface of the water every couple of seconds. Cook the chicken breast for 12-15 minutes. Then I like to throw the whole thing in the frig to let it cool down. Make sure the liquid is still covering the chicken. This helps the chicken stay moist. When it’s cool enough to handle cut the chicken into cubes. See poaching isn’t too scary.

Next you want to sauté your veggies…onions, bell pepper, serrano chile, garlic, and mushrooms. Don’t forget to season them. Once the veggies are tender, add in your frozen corn and baby spinach until the spinach wilts. Set aside to cool.

While the vegetables are cooling, in a large bowl combine black beans, chipotles, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 2 oz of the cheddar cheese. Add the chicken and the cooled vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and add cumin and oregano.

Spray an 8×8 square glass-baking dish. Take half of your tortilla strips and layer then on the bottom of the pan. Top that with half of your chicken mixture. Then cover with another layer of tortilla strips. Add the rest of the chicken mixture and top with grated cheddar cheese and grana padano. Bake for 30 minutes. When it’s finished make sure you let it rest for at least 10 minutes. I know it’s hard to wait that long but it’ll be well worth it. When you let it rest, you give the casserole a chance to set-up so when you cut into it, the filling doesn’t slop everywhere. After your 10 minutes of torture are up, dig in and enjoy your casserole for the rest of the week.

Pesto Pasta with Kale, Cauliflower, and Chicken

I made the most FILLING bowl of pasta. Ever. Last Night. It was epic.

I haven’t made pasta in quite a while and I always find that I am never fully satisfied after one serving, but two servings is just too many points and not always the healthiest choice.

To fix this problem I decided to add an absurd amount of vegetables, especially high-fiber greens and a lean protein. The end result was amazing! And after one serving, I was almost beyond full!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken, Kale, and Cauliflower

Yields: 2 servings

1 serving = 1 cup

1 cup = 10 Points Plus

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 7 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced into strips
• 10 oz cauliflower, cut into florets (about ½ a head)
• ½ pound of kale (about 1 bunch), simmered in boiling water for about 8 minutes
• 3 oz Barilla Plus
• ½ cup of Pesto Sauce (I used the Weight Watchers recipe which is listed below)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

First, you want to caramelize your red onion. The trick to caramelizing onions and still keeping it healthy…is water.

When caramelizing onions, you want your sauté pan to be on medium heat. Add your oil. Then add your onions. Cook your onions, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the edges begin to brown. Drop the heat to low and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

The problem is that your onions will start sticking to the pan. When this happens, you instinctively will grab some oil and add it to the pan. STOP! Instead of adding oil, add water. This will deglaze the pan and allow the onions to keep cooking without adding additional fat. If you continue to do this for 30 minutes you will have sweet, delicious (low-fat) caramelized onions.

While the onions are cooking, add your garlic and crushed red pepper.

When your onions are caramelized, add your cauliflower and ¼ cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook for 7-8 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Remove the lid and stir until the liquid has evaporated.

Your pasta should be cooking at this point.

While your pasta is cooking, add your kale and chicken strips to the cauliflower

Side Note: To cook kale, first remove the leaves from the woody stems. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt and dump in your kale. Continue to cook the kale for about 8-9 minutes until tender. Drain the kale. Let cool slightly. Place your cooked kale into a kitchen towel and twist the towel in order to drain all the water out. Roughly chop kale and set aside.

Make sure you season your chicken and kale when you add it to the cauliflower. Put the lid on again and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

When your chicken mixture is cooked through, place it into a large bowl. Drain your pasta, BUT make sure you save 1-2 cups of the pasta water. Add your drained pasta to the chicken mixture. Toss with ½ cup of pesto and the scallion. Use the pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce and bring everything together.

This whole bowl of pasta is pretty much a complete meal. Lean protein, whole grains, dark leafy greens, and some added veggies. I dare you to finish two bowls.

Weight Watchers Pesto Sauce

1 serving = 2 Point Plus

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

2 cups basil leaves

½ cup fat-free chicken broth

¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp olive

salt and pepper

Instructions

• Place pine nuts in a small skillet and set pan over medium heat. Cook until nuts are golden, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool.
• In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt; process until smooth and thick. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

Rub-Me-Down with Herbs Roast Chicken

I love roasted chicken! Every time I’m in the grocery store I pass the rows of golden rotisserie chicken and my mouth waters. I reach out to grab one but then I stop and realize that I can make a better one myself. I think most people are scared of roasting their own chicken and imagine it’s going to take all day. Roast chicken is simple! It only takes a little over an hour to cook and it’s the perfect one pot meal. You have your protein, vegetables, and starch in one pan and you make your sauce right there with the drippings. And with less mess, the better dinner seems to taste.

Roast chicken is healthy too. This chicken is especially flavorful and juicy that you won’t even miss the skin. The vegetables are tender and delicious and are slowly roasted in the chicken’s juices. It’s a warm and comforting. meal You’ll be thankful when you make this chicken over the dry, bland bird under the heat lamp.

• 1 ea                              chicken, roaster (3-5 pounds)
• 1 tbsp                          rosemary, fresh, minced
• 2 tbsp                         thyme, fresh, minced
• 1 tbsp                          sage, fresh, minced
• 5 ea                             garlic cloves, grated (I used a microplane grater)
• 1 ea                             lemon, zested (I used a microplane grater)
• 2 tbsp                         olive oil, separated
• 10 sprigs                    thyme
• 1 sprig                        rosemary
• 6 ea                            sage leaves
• 1 head                        garlic, halved
• ½ ea                          lemon, quartered
• 1 ea                             carrot, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 ea                            onion, quartered
• 1 ea                            celery stalk, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 C                             chicken broth
• ½#                            buttercream potatoes (or any other potato you like), halved
• ½#                           cremini mushrooms, halved

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Combine the minced rosemary, thyme, and sage. Add garlic paste and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and mix into a paste.

Rub mixture underneath the chicken skin and any extra can be rubbed inside the cavity. (You can separate the chicken skin from the flesh gently with your index finger.) Season the cavity heavily with salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with rosemary sprigs, sage leaves, thyme leaves, garlic head, and quartered lemon.

Truss your chicken.  I’ve included a video to guide you along. There are many methods so feel free to browse!

Rub your chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

**Spray your roasting rack and roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place your chicken on the rack.

Add your onion, carrots, and celery to the bottom of the roasting pan. Make sure they are seasoned. Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Place in oven. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until it begins to turn golden brown. Make sure to rotate your chicken every 15 minutes in the oven.

While chicken is cooking, season potatoes and mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

After the chicken is initial brown, turn oven down to 325°F. Add your potatoes and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 30-45 minutes. Add more broth when necessary. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F, so take it out when it reaches 160°F because the temperature will rise again due to carry over cooking.

Remove the string. Carve and Voilà!

(I’ve also included a video on how to carve but feel free to find your favorite video on youtube).

**If you do not have a roasting rack you can use your onion, carrot, and celery as bed for your chicken to rest on.