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Healthy Chicken Dishes from Weight Watchers (with recipes)

Posted at 10:00 AM, Oct 11, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-11 10:00:47-04

Chicken is America’s number one dinner choice, and the newest cookbook from Weight Watchers features healthy and inexpensive chicken dishes.

Here are some recipes:

Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs with Penne and Kale
Makes 4 Servings
Per serving (about 1 1/3 cups pasta mixture, 4 meatballs, about ½ cup sauce, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan) 415 Calories, 6 Grams Fat, 9 PPV
INGREDIENTS:
¼ pound ground skinless chicken breast
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fat-free milk
1 large egg white
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
16 (1/2-inch) cubes part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups fat-free marinara sauce
½ cup water
8 ounces whole wheat penne
2 cups thinly sliced kale

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Mix together the chicken, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the bread crumbs, parsley, milk, egg white, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl until combined well. Divide the chicken mixture into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion around a mozzarella cheese cube to form 16 stuffed meatballs.

2. Meanwhile, combine the marinara sauce and water and bring to a simmer in a large skillet. Gently add the meatballs; cover and simmer, turning the meatballs a few times, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Cook the penne according to the package directions, omitting the salt if desired, and adding the kale during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.

4. Divide the pasta-kale mixture among 4 plates; top evenly with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
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Caribbean Grilled Drumsticks
Makes 4 Servings
Per Serving (2 drumsticks): 159 Calories, 4 Grams Fat, 4 PPV
Ambassador Note: Come in with a plate of drumsticks already prepared. On air, assemble the marinade and place uncooked chicken legs in zip-close bag with marinade to show how to prep the chicken.

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 large garlic cloves, crushed through a press
1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
8 (1/4-pound) skinless chicken drumsticks

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine the lemon juice, sugar, garlic, jerk seasoning, and salt in a zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

2. Spray the grill or broiler rack with nonstick spray. Preheat the grill to medium or preheat the broiler.

3. Transfer the chicken from the bag to the grill rack; discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, 10 minutes. Turn the chicken and grill or broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a drumstick registers 165⁰F, about 5 minutes longer.
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Layered Chicken Taco Salad
Makes 6 Servings
Per serving (3/4 cup of salad with 2 tortilla chips): 207 Calories, 5 Grams of Fat, 5 PPV
AMBASSADOR NOTE: Come in with Step 1 of the recipe already done. Do Step 2 on air, but also come in with the final recipe already made in case there isn’t enough time to assemble on air.

INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound ground skinless chicken breast
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons taco or chili seasoning mix
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt added tomato sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup (1 ounce) reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fat-free refried beans
3 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce
½ cup salsa verde
¼ cup fat-free sour cream
12 reduced-fat tortilla chips

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up the chicken with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended and the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the cheese and cilantro.

2. Spread the beans in the bottom of a 7×11-inch baking dish; top with a layer of the lettuce, then with the chicken mixture, salsa and finally a layer of sour cream. Tuck the chips around the dish. Serve at once.