Category Archives: Poultry

Poultry, Recipes

Think Middle Eastern with Tahini Chicken

Photo: Tahini chicken dish with riced kohlrabi

A few months back, I bought a large jar of Tahini when I made my Beet Hummus with Tahini. Since I had it on hand, I decided I should try another tahini dish. This recipe is adapted from one on AllRecipes.com. It makes a very nice chicken dish, but I do find tahini a little on the bitter side. I added extra sugar-free honey to my version, and I added in onions, both of which help to curb that bitterness.

I served it with green beans, sliced beets, and a scoop of riced kohlrabi, which is a delicious rice alternative. We found a bag of Green Giant frozen kohlrabi at our Wal-Mart, but if you can get fresh kohlrabi, use a medium-sized vegetable then peel it, cut into large cubes, and pop it into a food processor for about 5 or 6 pulses to rice it.

Tahini Chicken

1 cube chicken bouillon or Better Than Bullion with 3/4 cup Water
or 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar-free Honey
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 small Onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Ginger Paste
2 teaspoons Butter, or as needed
2 to 3 large skinless, boneless Chicken Breast halves, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (optional)

Dissolve bullion in 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir to mix. Or use 3/4 cup of chicken broth.

Mix broth with tahini, soy sauce, sugar-free honey, and ginger paste in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken cubes. Stir until the chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.

Add tahini sauce to the chicken and stir to mix, then cook until the sauce is heated and the chicken is done.

Serve over riced Cauliflower or riced Kohlrabi. Makes 3 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 244.8 Fat: 4.0 g Net Carbs: 4.0 g Protein: 22.1 g

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Find comfort in an easy Cottage Pie

Photp: Turkey Cottage PIe

I am resisting turning on my heater, but the temperatures in Reno have been chilly this past week. Snow has fallen at the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and fall has definitely hinted at the winter to come. So the idea of comfort food is really appealing.

Casserole dishes are always great in the cooler months. One of my favorites is the old British staple, Shepard’s Pie and it’s non-lamb variations of Cottage Pies. What is really nice about this version is that you make it using frozen vegetables and pre-made frozen mashed cauliflower to substitute for the potatoes.

This recipe is an adapted recipe that came with my lovely new 7″ square deep dish copper skillet. I picked up my first copper pan a couple of years ago and soon loved the ease of the cooking with it on the stove and taking it to the oven without having to dirty another pan. Although I have my cast iron that also works, I prefer the lighter weight and easier to clean copper pans, so I used that with this dish. This is not an ad for the copper skillets, but they are pretty snazzy.

Photo: Cottage Pie in Copper Pan

Anyway, this can be made in any stove-to-oven pan or transferred into a regular casserole dish. See the note below the recipe for the details on that.

Turkey Cottage Pie

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 cup Mixed Vegetables, frozen (peas, carrots, green beans, & corn)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Better than Bullion Chicken
1/2 cup boiling Water
1 package Family Size Mashed Cauliflower
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar or Cheddar Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)

In a deep skillet that can go to the oven, add a dash of oil and heat over a medium-high burner. Add the onions and sauté a minute, then add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is lightly browned. Add garlic salt and pepper and stir to mix well. If you wish, add seasoning salt or any other meat seasoning you prefer for added flavor. Remove from heat.

Prepare the frozen mashed cauliflower in the microwave as directed. Let it sit until the cauliflower thickens so it will spread and stay on top of the casserole. While it is sitting, finish the filling.

Heat water to a boil and add chicken bullion. Stir until melted in, then add to the turkey mixture. Add in frozen vegetables and mix to distribute them. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the turkey mixture and sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cauliflower is lightly browned along the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 308.5 Fat: 16.7 g Net Carbs: 8.3 g Protein: 27.9 g

Note: If you don’t have a stove to oven pan, mix the meat, bullion, and vegetables in the skillet, then transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed cauliflower and cheese over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and bake as directed.

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Call it a deconstructed Burrito

Photo: Burrito BowlThis recipe came in a Yummly email a couple of weeks ago, and it sounded wonderful and simple to make. Now that it’s getting warmer, cool and easy-to-make salads are great to have. This one combines all the flavors of a chicken burrito minus the tortilla. Best part, if you buy a precooked chicken, you don’t have any real cooking to do to make dinner. While you’re at it, buy a container of Pico de Gallo, which saves you from making it from scratch.

The ingredients include black beans (or red beans) and baby corn. I use Dynasty Baby Corn and cut it into little rounds. Both of these are used sparingly. If you’re in the induction phase of the low carb diet or can’t eat beans or corn in the stage you’re in, then omit them. The recipe is great without them. In fact, the photo doesn’t have either of ingredient in it.

You’ll need to heat the black beans and corn in a little chicken broth with the seasonings to make a light dressing, but you can do this in the microwave in no time. No microwave? Use a small pan and cook until it just comes to a boil.

So pleasant to take your burrito bowl, along with a tall glass of iced tea, to the patio on a balmy summer’s evening.

Low Carb Burrito Bowl

1/4 cup Black Beans (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Baby Corn (optional)
2 teaspoons Chicken Broth
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
Pinch of Salt to taste
2 cups Cabbage, shredded
6 to 8 ounces precooked grilled chicken breast, cubed or sliced
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Pico de Gallo
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled Queso Fresco Mexican Cheese

Cooking the cabbage for this is optional. I’ve tried it both ways and it is good either way. The uncooked adds a little crunch to it.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, baby corn, and black beans (if you are using them). Microwave for 45 seconds.

Take two bowls and fill each one with the ingredients in this order. On the bottom of each bowl, put 1 cup shredded cabbage and spread to cover the bottom. Spoon the beans and sauce over the top of the cabbage in each bowl. Layer the chicken over the top, then spread sour cream over it. Top with Pico de Gallo and crumble the Queso Fresco over the top. Add cilantro or parsley for garnish.

Makes two delicious servings.

Nutrition Information per serving- fully loaded:
Calories: 337 Fat: 14.4 Net Carbs: 7.8 g Protein: 36.0 g

Nutrition Information per serving-without optional:
Calories: 298.6 Fat: 14.3 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 34.1 g

Tip: This works equally as well with grilled shrimp replacing the chicken.

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry

Go Far Exotic with Tasty Chicken Tikka Masala

Photo: Chicken Tikka Masala

I am a big fan of Indian food, but I haven’t delved into making it too much. Mostly, I’ve added a little garam masala to season chicken. When I spotted this recipe from skinnytaste.com, I decided to give it a try. First I adjusted a few things in it to make it lower in carbohydrates than the original. One thing I swapped out was to replace the yogurt with sour cream, which is lower in carbs. I used fewer tomatoes for the same reason, and I added in green beans to add a little more flavor and a pop of color.

This is very easy to make and tastes delicious, although, like many things with spices in them, the leftovers taste better than the original dish as they’ve had time to sit and for the flavors to fully develop in the sauce. So, the best bet is to make it the day before you want to serve it and reheat it that day. Or, just make the sauce and refrigerate it, then warm it up, add the chicken and beans, and you’re ready for a fresh meal with deep flavor.

I served mine over one-half cup of riced cauliflower, but you could also use riced kohlrabi or angel hair shredded cabbage as a base. The cauliflower and kohlrabi are available in frozen packages or you can make your own.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2 tsp Canola Oil or Butter
1 small Onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1 cup canned Tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 cup frozen Green Beans
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Chicken Broth or Bullion
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
Salt to taste
24 ounces boneless chicken breasts (about three large)
4 tbsp fresh Cilantro or Parsley
3 cups Riced Cauliflower or Kohlrabi

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until softened and aromatic. Add the ginger paste and garlic and cook another two minutes. Add in the spices and mix well, cooking two minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, sour cream, and broth or bullion mix. Stir to mix well. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add chicken pieces and stir into the sauce and simmer another 10 minutes, then add the green beans. Cook five or ten minutes more until the chicken is completely cooked and the green beans are hot.

Serve over 1/2 cup of riced cauliflower or kohlrabi or over lightly cooked angel hair cabbage.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Information per serving: (without riced cauliflower)
Calories: 291.4 Fat: 17.0 g Net Carbs: 6.9 g Protein: 27.0 g

Did you try making this dish? Let me know what you think!

Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes

Liven Lunch Up with Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

Photo - Quesadillas cut in half.

For a spring flavor, add fresh pineapple cubes to your chicken quesadilla. It gives it a refreshing touch of that sweet and spicy taste.

This flows right along with the Chicken Fajitas from last week. You can start with leftover chicken fajitas if you wish, then just go to the For the quesadilla part and follow the recipe from there.

For the chicken filling:
1 cup chopped or cubed cooked Chicken
1 teaspoon of Fajita Seasoning or Taco Seasoning
1/2 Bell Pepper, cut into strips or pieces
1/4 Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon Oil

Put the chicken cubes in a bowl and add seasonings. Add salt and pepper if desired.

In a skillet, heat oil to a sizzle, then add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Stir and cook until the onions are almost tender. Add the chicken and cook three to four minutes to heat the chicken.

For the quesadilla:
2 six-inch Low-carb Flour or Whole Wheat Tortillas
1/2 cup Mozzarella or Queso Fresco Cheese
1/2 cup fresh Pineapple, cut into cubes.
1 tablespoon Butter

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon Butter and let it melt over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the pan and arrange the chicken mixture and pineapple on the top going almost to the edge. Sprinkle cheese over the top and to the edge of the tortilla. This will seal the edges so it can be turned easily.

Photo: Half-quesadilla with saladPlace the other tortilla on top and press it down. Use a pancake spatula to keep pressing the tortilla down while it cooks. Cook for two to three minutes until the cheese is melted. Slide the pancake turner under the quesadilla and turn it over to cook the other side. Cook for another two or three minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and cut in half. Put one half on another plate and serve with salsa if desired.

Makes two servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories:369 Fat: 20.4 g Net Carbs: 6.7 g Protein: 37.3 g