Magic chicken dinner

Written by Lauren Graf   

Whether chicken, fish, or beef is at the heart of your dish, sometimes it’s the sauce and seasonings that actually make the meal. The problem? Some of these condiments can be loaded with fat and salt — if you’re not careful, you can get more calories from the sauce than from the actual food! I recently discovered a great way to avoid this diet pitfall: Flavor Magic Portion Control Sheets ($8.99 for 15, portioncontrol.net*). They deliver just the right amount of flavor but are also low in calories and salt. My favorite is the Garlic Citrus Teriyaki but they come in three other delicious flavors, too: Riviera Tomato & Basil, Zesty Cajun Creole, and Dijon Honey Mustard.

How do they work? Each sheet has just 4 calories and 110-160 mg of sodium, depending on the flavor. You wrap one sheet around each portion of meat — they’re designed for 3- to 5-ounce pieces — let the seasonings sink in, then take off the sheet, and cook. Abra Kadabra — a perfectly seasoned meal! Another perk? Clean-up is just as simple. Try my Hawaiian Chicken Recipe below or invent one of your own. 

Hawaiian Chicken, with Flavor Magic Sheets

Serves: 4
Total time: About 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 4 (4-ounce) pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 Garlic Citrus Teriyaki Flavor Magic Sheets
• ½ cup unsweetened canned mandarin oranges, drained
• ½ cup unsweetened canned pineapple, drained
• 2 bell peppers (red or green)
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger (chopped or grated)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Trim each piece of chicken to fit a flavor sheet. Place the flavor sheets on a plate with the flavor side up. Lightly moisten the chicken breasts with water, place them on the sheets, and roll them up.
3. Wrap the plate tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavor sink in.
4. In the meantime, cut bell peppers into thin strips and place in a bowl or plate with the canned pineapple and canned mandarin oranges.
5. After 30 minutes, take the chicken breasts out of the refrigerator, remove the flavor sheets, and place on baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.
6. Remove baking sheet from oven and place bell peppers, pineapple, oranges, and ginger on top of chicken. Cook for an additional 10 minutes in oven.
7. Take out of oven and serve.

Try pairing this dish with brown rice and a salad made from baby greens, slivered almonds, onions, cucumbers, and Asian vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Nutrition content:
Per serving (about 6 ounces): 170 calories, 1 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 27 g protein
Micronutrients: 230 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium (14% daily need), 85 mg vitamin C (136% daily need)

*Skinny Bonus: Get 15% off your Flavor Magic Portion Control Sheets order at portioncontrol.net by entering code FM15 at checkout.