Skinny Sesame Chicken

Why order takeout loaded in unnecessary oils, fried batter, and who knows what else when you can make something equally as delicious at home that is half or less of the fat and calories? I am a huge fan of sesame chicken and order it literally every time I go to a Chinese restaurant - and I will continue to. But when I am craving it in the middle of the week and don't want to wreck my diet, this recipe is perfect and just as satisfying!

Since we all go to different Chinese takeout restaurants, I'm going to be comparing my Skinny Sesame Chicken with Panda Express' Honey Sesame Chicken (scroll past the recipe to view nutrition facts!).

 

Ingredients:

Makes four 4oz servings of Skinny Sesame Chicken at 290 calories per serving:

For the Chicken:

• 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 large Egg
• 1 Tbs Olive Oil 
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray 

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup Lower Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbs Toasted Sesame Oil
• 2 Tbs Cornstarch
• 2 tsp Honey
• 3 Tbs Sesame Seeds 
• 1 clove Garlic (or minced)
• 1 Tbs ground Ginger
• 1 pinch each Salt and Pepper
• 3 Tbs (more, if desired) Sugar Substitute

 

Directions:

1.  Tenderize the chicken breasts using a meat tenderizer or other tool - this makes the chicken so much more tender and it takes much better to the sauce

2.  Dry chicken with a paper towel - this is necessary so that the egg wash sticks to the chicken

3.  Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces (about one and a half inch)

4.  In a medium sized bowl, pour the whisked egg over the cut chicken. Toss chicken to ensure all is coated evenly.

5.  Bring a large frying pan or wok to medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray before adding 1 Tbs of olive oil. You may use more oil if desired, however I was able to "fry" the chicken in only a tablespoon of olive oil and periodically re-spraying the pan with cooking spray.

6.  Place the egg-coated chicken in the pan in a single layer and let simmer until the first side is completely cooked, then flip. This keeps the egg batter in tact while "frying".

7.  While the chicken cooks, mix together the ingredients for the sauce as listed above. It will seem thin, but when added to heat it will thicken.

8.  When the chicken is fully cooked, set heat to medium-low and pour the sauce over the chicken. The sauce will thicken (for thicker sauce, heat longer before serving - I like mine really thick!)

9.  Serve over a bed of steamed brown rice, with broccoli, or alone! (Or any other side dish, of course!)

 Y'all, this is seriously so good. No tricks. Tristan (the hubby) loves it and claims the leftovers for his work lunch the next day. It's perfect for a family dinner, date night, or even meal prepping! I plan on taking some in my work lunches with brown rice or broccoli!

And the best part (besides the taste of course) is how low in everything it is! Check out these nutrition facts:

 

 

Nutrition Facts:

For my Skinny Sesame Chicken (4oz chicken plus sauce):

• 290 Calories
• 26g Protein
• 15g Fat (only 2g Saturated Fat)
• 15g Carbohydrates
• 4g Sugar

So let's compare that with Panda Express's similar dish...Panda's sesame chicken clocks in at 400 calories, 15g Protein, 22g Fat (4g Saturated Fat), 40g Carbohydrates, and 19g Sugar....WOW. I literally beat every category, right? This recipe turns a complete cheat meal into a very doable dinner on a diet!

Forget takeout (mostly) and try this instead. I promise you'll be impressed!

Got ideas of your own? Inbox me or leave a comment! Also, feel free to give me a follow using the sidebar on the right! (:

Did you say "Skinny Buffalo Chicken"...?

Easy Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip or Casserole

Yes, I said it! And this isn't your average "light" buffalo chicken recipe. Its even better. What's the average recipe? Shredded Chicken, Full Fat Cream Cheese, Ranch Dressing, Buffalo Sauce, Full fat Cheese. A skinnier version you may find on Pinterest probably uses Reduced Fat or Fat Free Cream Cheese, Light Ranch Dressing, and Reduced Fat, Fat Free, or 2% Cheese. Well I hate to burst your Weight Watchers recipe bubble, but there's an even skinnier way that tastes amazing and isn't filled with a bunch of tasteless ingredients!

What's the difference?

Okay, lets compare. Here's the info for a regular buffalo chicken dip that you'd find at a gameday party:

For a small square (about 1/8 of an 8x8 pan), one serving of Buffalo Chicken Dip using the full fat ingredients listed above (recipe found on Pinterest and calculated, no chips) is 14 Weight Watchers SmartPoints, has 438 calories, and has 13.7 grams of saturated fat. And let's be honest, who just eats a 1x1 inch square...? Let me remind you this doesn't include chips...

For one serving of my Buffalo Chicken Dip (without chips, 1x1 square), it's weighing in as (wait for it...) 4 Weight Watchers SmartPoints. Yes. The other recipe is 3.5 times as much. Let's continue. It is also only 252 calories and has 0.7 grams of saturated fat.

Are you sold yet?

What it Takes:

So what's making this magic? Here's the trick. Ditch the chalky fat free cream cheese and light or fat free ranch dressing (which in my opinion tastes nothing like the real thing). Instead, try Fat Free Sour Cream and Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix. Okay, don't let me lose you here. I know it sounds like it can't possible replace the creamy and rich goodness of cream cheese and ranch. But it sure can! Here's what I used for a single serving:

• 3 oz Shredded Chicken Breast (I used Rotisserie)
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) Fat Free Sour Cream
• 1 Tbs Ranch Dip mix
• 2 Tbs Frank's Buffalo Sauce (measure at own discretion for desired hotness!)
• 1 1/2 oz Kraft Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese 
  

1.  If you haven't already, shred the chicken breast into small strips  and place into microwave safe bowl
2.  In a separate container, combine the Sour Cream and Ranch Mix and mix until well blended
3. Combine the Sour Cream Ranch mixture, Shredded Chicken, Buffalo Sauce, and Cheese in the bowl and stir until ingredients are uniform
4. For easy cooking, use the microwave and heat for approximately 1 minute. Stir and put back into microwave until the mixture is heated throughout (microwave times may vary). 
5. Top with any additional cheese and enjoy!

***For a casserole consistency, increase the amount of chicken or reduce the amount of the Sour Cream Ranch mixture

***To make for a crowd or bake, either multiply the microwavable recipe or use an 8x8 pan to bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes!

Skinny "Fried" Chicken Nuggets

Crispy Chicken Nuggets 

This recipe is the perfect fix for those days when all you can think about is fried chicken. For me, I crave Chick-Fil-A nuggets several times a week and usually only indulge once a week on what Tristan coined "Chick-Fil-A Wednesday". These nuggets may not be fried in peanut oil, but they're coated in delicious seasonings that are so reminiscent of fast food fried chicken that you won't even dream of cheating on that diet you're on.  Don't waste a cheat day; have these amazing chicken nuggets on a regular calorie counting, point-counting, macro-counting day!

What's the difference?

Normally, this is where I would bash the real deal nuggets from Chick-Fil-A and compare them to mine. But let's be honest, Chick-Fil-A calories are The Lord's calories and I will not defile them today. Instead, let's compare them to Wendy's.  I love Wendy's, but I'd rather throw them under the bus ya know?

One 10 piece serving of Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets is 450 calories, 32 grams of fat (7 grams saturated fat), 23 grams of protein, and 13 Weight Watchers SmartPoints.

My 11 piece serving of Skinny Crispy "Fried" Chicken Nuggets is 350 calories, 7 grams of fat (1.4 grams saturated fat), 50 grams of protein, and 6 Weight Watchers SmartPoints.

Whoah okay. I just halved Wendy's SmartPoints. And the Protein? That's a bit concerning considering it's almost the same amount of chicken! Chicken is meant to be very full of protein and this recipe definitely gets you the protein that your body needs without loading up on fatty oils at the same time.  So let's get down to business.

 What you'll need:

For 5 servings (10-11 nuggets per serving):

• 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 regular eggs, beaten)
• 4 oz (in weight) of regular Panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tsp (more or less) of Paprika
• 3 tsp (more or less) of Cajun Seasoning
• 3 tsp (more or less) of Ranch Seasoning
• 2 tsp (more or less) of Garlic Salt

 

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget sized pieces - I was able to get about 55 nuggets, but this can vary depending on nugget size.
3. Prepare two bowls: one with the liquid egg, and another with the mixture of Panko and all seasonings. Please feel free to adjust the suggested servings of seasonings! It's all about your taste buds.
4. Transfer the raw chicken pieces into the egg batter (best if done in small groups, I did 5 at a time) to soak. Then, transfer the egg coated pieces into the Panko and seasoning bowl and toss to fully coat each piece in crumbs.
5.  Using a large cookie sheet or baking pan, align the coated nuggets so that none overlap. However, they can be very close to one another.
6. Once your pan is full of the soon-to-be-delicious chicken nuggets, set in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. When done, sprinkle any additional seasonings and serve with your choice of side and sauce!(I chose mashed potatoes and a light honey mustard dipping sauce) 

And there you have it - almost Chick-Fil-A crispy chicken nuggets that are delicious and half the guilt of regular fast food chicken nuggets!

 

ENJOY!

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Skinny Crispy Buffalo Wings

Guilt-Free Chicken Wings

A new personal favorite, these crispy hot buffalo chicken wings have all of the perks of fried wings without the fatty oils and calories.  I actually stumbled upon this recipe on Facebook, and will post the original source since I can't take all the credit! (Note: I changed a few things for this recipe)

Let's Compare...

One serving of traditional fried buffalo wings (6 piece, Buffalo Wild Wings) clocks in at 1,090 Calories, 56 grams of Fat (22 Saturated Fat), 90 grams of Carbs, and 32 Weight Watchers SmartPoints. Um...that's over an entire day of points in one meal with no sides and no dressing...

What about these Skinny Crispy Buffalo Wings??? One serving of these wings (6 piece, about 12 oz of chicken with bone in), is 384 Calories, 30 grams of Fat (6 Saturated Fat), 0 grams of Carbs, and 14 Weight Watchers SmartPoints. That's cutting over half the points and almost a third of the calories.

So let's get down to the question everyone wants to know...

What's the crust???

Believe it or not, the crust is a simple mix of baking power with various seasonings and salt. When combined with the raw chicken wingettes and drumettes, it soaks into the skin and when baked, becomes a crispy and thick seasoned crust. I know, I know, doesn't make a whole lot of sense does it? I thought the same thing when I watched the video below:

Click to watch video!

However, the trick is baking them at a low temperature and lower rack at first, and later moving them to the top rack at a much higher temperature to really crisp them up. 

Here's what you'll need:

For two servings...

• 1.5 lbs raw chicken wingettes (or other variety)
• 2 tsp table salt
• any amount of ground pepper
• 5 tbs baking powder (more for crispier chicken)
• Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce
• Aluminum Foil (or parchment paper)
• Large zip lock bag (alternative: large bowl)
  
  
  

The Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Remove thawed raw wings from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. This is very important so that the crust sets correctly!
3.  Using either a large zip-lock bag or large bowl, combine the raw wings with the baking powder, salt, and desired seasonings. Shake to coat all wings. You may find it necessary to add additional baking powder to evenly coat the wings.
4. Align wings on a greased aluminum foil or parchment paper covered baking pan. Set on lower shelf of oven and let bake for about 20 minutes.  
5. Crank the oven up to 450 degrees and move baking pan to top shelf. Let bake for approximately 30-40 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven and coat with sauce as you please!

 

Note: Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce has negligible calories, fat, and sugar, and therefore is 0 points even when used in larger amounts. If you choose to use another sauce, nutrition info will vary! Also, many people choose to mix Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce with other ingredients such as butter and brown sugar which will also affect the nutrition and points information. However, I think its delicious entirely on its own!!

ENJOY

Skinny Shrimp Scampi & Ranch Seasoned Potatoes

Skinny Shrimp Scampi & Ranch Seasoned Potatoes

This dish you can't go wrong with. It's incredibly easy to make, and tastes like you just ordered straight from your favorite seafood restaurant. Okay, maybe not exactly, but its as close as you can get without going to the gulf.

Every time I go to the beach, particularly Orange Beach in Alabama, I make it a number one priority to visit The Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores and order Shrimp Scampi (a double order if we're being honest here). I can't compete with their delicious gulf shrimp and probably fully loaded recipe, but there is a quick and easy way to get a close but skinny version!

Quick facts: This entire meal, potatoes and all, weighs in at a mere 410 calories and 10 WW SmartPoints! Here's the breakdown. One serving of Skinny Shrimp Scampi is approximately 185 calories and only 4 WW SmartPoints. This is due to the light butter and cheese as well as the high protein/low calorie count of the shrimp. One serving (about half of a 12 oz potato) of the potato wedges is 225 calories and 6 WW points! If you're like me and want ketchup alongside your meal, add 1 to 2 points depending on brand and type! I like to use Heinz Low Sugar Ketchup, which is only 1 WW SmartPoint per 2 tbs.

So first off, lets talk about these potatoes. If you become a consistent follower of my blog, you'll see several variations of the same oven-fried potatoes in different shapes and forms. For this meal, I chose to do mini potato wedges; however, I often will use the same ingredients to make oven-fried french fries as well. Here's the important part: if you're on any kind of diet (except a crazy low carb diet), these potatoes are your best friend. For the same amount of calories that you can have a baked potato with a small amount of butter, you can have a plate of french fries or potato wedges.

How? No hot oil. No grease. No extra breading. No tricks. Here's the trick:

 What you'll need (4 servings):

• 2 large raw potatoes (I prefer russet)
• Dry ranch seasoning (desired amount)
• Extra Virgin olive oil (1 tbs)

 That's it. Three ingredients and you're ready to roll!

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut the potatoes into the desired shape (wedges, fries, etc.)
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the potatoes and olive oil. Toss to coat potatoes in the oil.
4. To soften the potatoes, put the bowl in the microwave for approximately 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and toss potatoes again.
5. Add the desired amount of ranch seasoning to the potatoes and toss to coat.
6. On a cookie sheet or baking pan, line with parchment paper or aluminum foil or spray generously with cooking spray. Spread potatoes evenly on sheet. (If you use parchment paper or aluminum foil, I still recommend a light coat of cooking spray)
7. **May vary! Set in oven for approximately 45 minutes. Check often, especially after the 30 minute mark, to ensure that your potatoes reach the desired finish without getting too done. 

Now for the main course. Luckily, the shrimp can cook at the same time as your potatoes at 450 degrees! However, it won't take near as long to cook the scampi as it takes the potatoes to cook.  You'll want to set the scampi dish in the oven when you think there is about 10-15 minutes left for the potatoes. Then, hopefully all the components of your meal will be ready at the same time! Here's what you'll need for 4 servings of the scampi (**note: all of this can be changed by your preference! Like it cheesy? Add more cheese! Want a bigger serving? Use more of everything!):

• 1 bag of frozen jumbo shrimp (or fresh shrimp from deli)
• 4 tbs light butter (I use Blue Bonnet Light)
• 1/2 cup fat free (or 2%) shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

 Here's how it's done! Again, this is extremely abstract. Change this accordingly to your taste-buds!

1. If the oven isn't already hot from the potatoes, preheat to 450 degrees. 
2. Optional: remove tails from shrimp for easy eating
3. Combine desired amounts shrimp, butter, and shredded cheese in a deep glass baking pan. Order doesn't matter (it all will melt and combine over the shrimp!).
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until done.
5. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. 
6. Serve with potatoes and low-sugar ketchup!

And there you have it - a skinny seafood feast from your home! Don't forget that potatoes recipes. You'll be wanting to have those or something similar with several different types of meals! Feel free to comment or email me with any questions or requests. Thanks again for reading! 

Three Layer Baked Spaghetti

Three Layer Baked Spaghetti

So this started out as an experiment inspired by a full-fat-full-everything Pinterest recipe, and ended up being one of my favorite Skinny Recipes so far.  On most any diet, baked spaghetti is thought of as a big no no. Saturated fats from the red meat, carbs from the spaghetti, loads of fat from all the cheeses...well luckily, there are alternatives!

Disclaimer: If you are against carbs, this might not be the place for you. After months of a no-carb "ketogenic" diet that ended in the worst stomach pain and hypoglycemia I've ever had, bread and pasta has become my best friend. Another disclaimer: I've lost more weight and had more energy on this wholesome diet than any carb-restricting diet I've ever done (and there's been quite a few).  If you care to hear more about my history with diets, check out The Skinny Cafe Story page!

Back to the spaghetti. This dish made my pasta-loving, cheese-loving, and healthy-loving heart jump for joy. After doing some research, I found out that most store-bought baked spaghetti or baked spaghetti recipes are somewhere between 490 and 570 calories per serving, and between 17 and 19 Weight Watchers SmartPoints. Thee dishes are typically made with full fat cheeses and ground beef. How does my recipe match up?

One serving of my Three Layer Baked Spaghetti is roughly 295 calories, or 11 Weight Watchers SmartPoints. That's about 60% of the original recipe's calories all thanks to a few ingredient substitutes. Here is what you'll need for 10 servings:

• Dreamfield's Spaghetti Noodles (16 oz)
• 90% Lean Ground Turkey (1 lb)
• Low Fat Ricotta Cheese (2 cups)
• Blue Bonnet Light Vegetable Oil Spread (5 tbs)
• Kraft Natural Fat Free Shredded Mozzarella (2 cups)
• Kraft Natural Fat Free Shredded Cheddar (1 cup)
• Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan  (1/3 cup)
• Ragu Old World Style Sauce, Flavored with Meat (1 jar)
• Egg Beaters (or any egg whites) (1/2 cup)
• Medium Sized Onion (optional, 1 onion)
• Italian Seasonings (1 tsp)
• Steak Seasoning (optional)

Dreamfield's Pasta is a brand of pasta that you can find at almost any store including Walmart. It is typically 2 SmartPoints less than other brands such as Barilla and Great Value, and its considered a "Carb Smart" pasta for those of you who try to cut back at least a bit on carbs.  The cheeses listed above can all be found at Walmart, but the fat free cheeses you have a hard time finding outside of Walmart. For any recipe that normally calls for ground beef, I try to do ground turkey instead. If you're not used to this or are turned off by the idea of turkey, a super lean pound of ground beef will do just fine! Here's how its done:

1. Cook the spaghetti as usual in boiling water. Meanwhile,  cook the ground meat and onion (optional) in a skillet over medium-high heat until done. (Optional: add steak seasoning to flavor meat)
2. When the meat is nearing perfection, add the spaghetti sauce and any additional seasonings into the same skillet and stir. 
3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, butter, and Parmesan cheese. When the spaghetti has been drained, add the noodles to the egg mixture and toss to coat.
4. In a greased baking dish, place half of the spaghetti mixture and top with half of the ricotta cheese, half of the skillet spaghetti sauce, and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat these layers once more.
5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
6. Voila! Delicious guilt-free baked spaghetti for 10. 

As usual, you don't have to make the recipe as "skinny" as I did.  2% cheese , other brands of pasta, spaghetti sauce, and light butter, whole eggs, and various other substitutes can be made as well to suit your taste-buds and dietary preferences!

Thanks for reading! I'm always open to suggestions, requests, or comments.  Feel free to comment or email me!