Skinny Lemon Chicken Recipe

Posted on | December 22, 2016 | No Comments

Someone I know was lamenting over not being able to eat Lemon Chicken Rice any more (** as in the deep fried cutlet version smothered with goey sweet lemon sauce**) because they were changing their eating habits to be more health conscious.

My first reaction as a Health Coach is to say – of course you can still have lemon chicken rice – it’s important to feel that you’re not missing out on stuff you love and you should never feel like you’re on a diet.  You just need a few little tweaks to make something kinda unhealthy into something quite good.

Ingredients:

• 400g boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (if making this gluten-free, be sure to use GF soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Honey Lemon Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey (or more/less to taste)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• zest of 1 lemon
• pinch of ground ginger
• (optional: splash  of tabasco for some zing)

Other stuff: lemon slices, sesame seeds (all this stuff isn’t actually necessary, it just adds to the wow factor, but can be left out and not affect the taste). Vegetables – anything is good (beans, cauliflower, broccoli etc)

What to serve this with:

Brown Rice / Red Rice / Cous Cous + vegetables – cook these separately and serve

Cooking Instructions:

1. Combine the chicken, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar into a large bowl. Stir well and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, drain and transfer it to a separate plate.
3. Prepare the honey lemon sauce:  In a separate bowl add all ingredients & mix well.
4. Heat oil in large pan, add the chicken and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked through and no longer pink inside.  Transfer the chicken to a separate (clean) plate.
5. Into the same hot pan, pour in the honey lemon sauce & cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a low boil and thickens.
6. Add in all the other seasonings (tabasco, sesame seeds, salt and pepper, or extra honey or lemon.)
7. Add the chicken back into the pan and toss through the sauce

NOTE: Can also be combined & cooked in oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

How to serve:

The portions on the plate should follow these guidelines:

• 1/2 the plate with green leafy vegetables
• 1/4 wholegrains (about the size of your clenched fist)
• 1/4 lean protein (in this case chicken – about the size of your palm)

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