Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

Are you a fan of spicy, tangy and sweet all wrapped up together?  The tangy and sweet flavor combo of this maple-mustard sauce will have you licking the plate!  This recipe, adapted from Cooking Light gets so much flavor from these low fat ingredients that you will swear that you should be feeling guilty.  But don't!  

#paleo #lowfat #glutenfree #dairyfree 

Click for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (mine came 3 to a pack)
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp stone-ground Creole mustard
* some red pepper flakes would be great in here too!
** this recipe would also be great using center cut pork loin chops!






Step-by-Step:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large black iron skillet (or heavy, ovenproof skillet) over medium-high heat.  Add oil and swirl to coat.  Sprinkle chicken liberally with cracked black pepper and kosher salt.  

Add chicken to pan and saute for 3 - 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.  The meat should release easily from the pan when ready.

Remove the chicken from the  pan.

Add chicken broth to the pan to de-glaze.  Then add syrup, thyme, and garlic to the pan.  Bring this all to a boil, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

=

chicken broth

maple syrup

thyme leaves

garlic slices

 

Note:  These garlic slices are cut large enough to be removed by your picky eaters... and given to the other ones who just LOVE the flavor of the sweet, roasted garlic.  At the end, the garlic is soft and buttery!

Add vinegar and mustard to the sauce.  Cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.

apple cider vinegar

stone ground Creole mustard

Return the chicken to the sauce and spoon the maple-mustard glaze over the breasts.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F until internal thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 11 minutes).  

Remove chicken from the pan and let them sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the pan back over medium heat and cook the maple-mustard sauce another 2 minutes or until it is syrupy, stirring frequently.  

Serve the sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

This is one low fat and healthy recipe that you are sure to come back for! Man, oh, man... this sure is good!!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe!

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Here are some bonus recipes for you!

Lily's Maple Bacon Green Beans with Slivered Almonds 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Garlic Aioli 

Oreo Heath Bar Cake

Honey Maple Granola 

Thai Chicken Salad Cones (or wraps) 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler 

Written Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat a large black iron skillet (or heavy, ovenproof skillet) over medium-high heat.  Add oil and swirl to coat.  Sprinkle chicken liberally with cracked black pepper and kosher salt.  Add chicken to pan and saute for 3 - 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.  The meat should release easily from the pan when ready.  Remove the chicken from the  pan.

Add chicken broth to the pan to deglaze.  Then add syrup, thyme, and garlic to the pan.  Bring this all to a boil, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring frequently.   Add vinegar and mustard to the sauce.  Cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.

Return the chicken to the sauce and spoon the maple-mustard glaze over the breasts.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F until internal thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 11 minutes).  Remove chicken from the pan and let them sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the pan back over medium heat and cook the maple-mustard sauce another 2 minutes or until it is syrupy, stirring frequently.  Serve the sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Sesame Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

I've been looking for some "lighter" dishes to make... with everyone struggling to get into their clothes after the holidays... and came across this Good Housekeeping recipe.  It's very simple, adds a big serving of veggies, and is much lower in fat and calories than take-out!  - additionally, you could make this faster than driving to your favorite Asian take-out restaurant.

Here is a video tutorial:

                 Click for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain white rice, cooked 

2 Tbsp soy sauce (regular or gluten free, coconut aminos)

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp peeled and grated ginger 

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned 

1 tsp sesame oil

Step-by-Step: 

For prep: Trim the asparagus, grate the ginger, cut the tomatoes, make the sauce, toast the sesame seeds.  For a "prep-ahead of time, " you could actually even cook the shrimp and store them in the fridge.  When you add the shrimp later, just cook 1 minute to heat through.

1 pound of trimmed asparagus

1 Tbsp grated ginger

Sauce:

Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar,and grated ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp grated ginger

Here's the sauce.

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 pound of shrimp tails, deveined, rinsed.

In a 12-inch skillet, toast the sesame seeds over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.  Transfer them to a small dish.

toast 1 Tbsp sesame seeds for around 4 minutes.  Swirl them in the pan. 

transfer to another dish.

In that same skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high until hot, then add the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until they are tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes.  

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut

Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute.  

 

gorgeous colors, right?

Stir in the soy sauce mixture and shrimp into the asparagus and cook about 2 - 3 minutes.  It will NOT take the shrimp long to cook.  Once they turn pink and opaque, they are done.  

peeled, deveined shrimp

add the ginger soy sauce

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

1 tsp sesame oil

To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture over rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.  PLEASE don't forget them like I did!  (I was not very happy with myself.)

Now take a good look at this dish.  Does this not look fabulous?! 

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Method:

For prep: Trim the asparagus, grate the ginger, cut the tomatoes, make the sauce, toast the sesame seeds.  For a "prep-ahead of time, " you could actually even cook the shrimp and store them in the fridge.  When you add the shrimp later, just cook 1 minute to heat through.

Sauce:  Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar,and grated ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet, toast the sesame seeds over a medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.  Transfer them to a small dish.  In that same skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high until hot, then add the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until they are tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute.   Stir in the soy sauce mixture and shrimp into the asparagus and cook about 2 - 3 minutes.  It will NOT take the shrimp long to cook.  Once they turn pink and opaque, they are done.  

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.  To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture over rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Green Eggs and Ham in a Cup

I am one of the worst offenders for skipping breakfast.  Somewhere between my morning cup of coffee and getting the kids fed and off to school, and myself to work, eating breakfast often never makes it to my thought process.  Well this is one breakfast that you can make it about 5 minutes with whatever breakfast ingredients are in your kitchen, and is a pretty darn complete meal.... with TONS of nutritional value to get your day started off right!  You don't even have to sit at home and eat it - just grab the mug and go.  

                                             Click for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Let's just start by saying you do NOT have to use the same stuff I did.  This is just a recipe concept that you can personalize with whatever ingredients you have on hand, or your whim of the day.  

For one large mug -

• 2-3 eggs 
• You could use non-fat egg substitute
• salt and pepper to taste
• a sprinkle of dried basil
• 1 Tbsp butter flavored spread 
• I used the Brummel and Brown Spread that is made with nonfat yogurt
• 1 Tbsp frozen bell peppers, chopped
• I used orange and green.  I ALWAYS have some frozen as they cook down really fast and make meal prep a snap.
• 1 small shallot (about 1 Tbsp).  
• You can use a tablespoon of chopped sweet onion as well.  This is just what I had on hand this morning.
• 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
• If you are anti-spinach, try a couple leaves of chopped fresh basil or even a little prepared pesto.
• 2 slices of honey ham, chopped
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled 
• You could used turkey bacon; I had left-over "real" bacon from the kids' breakfast
• 1 stick of low-fat mozzarella string cheese, diced
• 1 oz reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, diced
• about the size of a dice.
• chives and cherry tomatoes for garnish

Let's see, have we included all of the food groups?! This grab and go breakfast is definitely packed with nutrition! 

Step-by-Step:

This may be one the easiest breakfast "meals" ever!

Grab your frozen veggies, etc and give everything a chop -

1 Tbsp frozen peppers

1/4 cup chopped baby spinach

2 slices chopped ham

1 small shallot, chopped

Add the butter or butter spread in the bottom of a mug, then start adding the vegetables.

1 Tbsp butter spread

chopped spinach

peppers and shallots

 Cook for 1 minute in the microwave.  They all cook down to almost nothing.

 Add in the ham and bacon.

Combine the beaten eggs with a splash of milk, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Add the eggs to the cups.  Microwave for 1 minute, then give them a stir.

Add the chopped cheeses and microwave for 1 minute more.  Eggs should be all set but still tender and fluffy after this...

Now grab a fork, grab your mug of eggs, grab a carton of OJ... and you are OUT the door!!!  You will NOT feel compelled to stop at Denny's after this!  - and it was also very inexpensive!

  

Now go out and conquer the world!!!

Method:

Grab your frozen veggies, etc and give everything a chop.  Add the butter or butter spread in the bottom of a mug, then start adding the vegetables.  Cook for 1 minute in the microwave.  They all cook down to almost nothing.   Add in the ham and bacon.  Combine the beaten eggs with a splash of milk, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Add the eggs to the cups.

Microwave for 1 minute, then give them a stir.  Add the chopped cheeses and microwave for 1 minute more.  Eggs should be all set but still tender and fluffy after this... Now grab a fork, grab your mug of eggs, grab a carton of OJ... and you are OUT the door!!! 

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Like this recipe?  Please visit my Recipe Index for lots of other recipes.  In the meantime, here are some other breakfast recipes you may like.

Ham Cups

Cinnamon Spiced Banana Caramel Pancakes

Bacon Pancake Dippers

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping

Andouille Breakfast Potatoes