Sauteed Chicken with Sage Brown Butter

This Cooking Light recipe is a nice chicken dish that pairs well with with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

SAUTEED CHICKEN WITH SAGE BROWN BUTTER

Recipe Notes

You can do the pounding yourself, but I would recommend having your butcher turn a couple of chicken breast halves into cutlets for you. It will save you a bunch of time.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)

326 calories - 11.1 g. fat - 41.1 g. protein - 13.1 g. carb - 0.5 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 4 six-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I recommend premade cutlets from your butcher)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 sage sprigs
• 1 tbsp. minced shallots
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (I used dried)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice (1-2 small lemons)
• Fresh sage leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. If pounding yourself, place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thickness.

2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.

4. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge chicken breasts in flour.

5. Add chicken to pan and saute for approximately four minutes per side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.

6. Add butter and sage sprigs to pan. Cook over medium heat until butter is browned. Discard sage.

7. Add shallots and thyme, cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and cook for 30 more seconds.

8. Serve sauce with chicken.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

This casserole was so good, I've taken it in my lunch the past two days at work. It has tons of vegetables hiding inside, so it helps you get your daily allowance of vegetables, too! Sorry for the sloppy picture - don't let it dissuade you from trying this recipe!

MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Recipe Notes

I cooked and shredded the chicken for this Cooking Light recipe in advance. Also, I didn't have the time to make the charred tomato salsa suggested by the recipe, so I used Pace Chunky Salsa instead (and it tasted great). The recipe modification below uses Pace. If you'd like to make your own, the original recipe can be found (here).

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 8)

331 calories - 12.3 g. fat - 26.1 g. protein - 30.8 g. carbs - 4.2 g. fiber

Ingredients

• Pace chunky salsa (I used mild) - 2 jars
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels (I used frozen)
• 1 c. zucchini, diced finely
• 1 c. chopped red bell pepper
• 3 c. shredded, cooked chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts)
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 10 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)
• 1, 4-oz. can chopped green chiles (I skipped this because I don't like green chiles)
• Twelve 6-in. corn tortillas
• 1 c. shredded monterrey jack cheese
• 1 c. crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray and add onion, corn, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Saute 6 minutes or until tender.

3. Add chicken and next five ingredients (through green chiles, if you are adding them). Saute 2 minutes or until heated through, remove from heat.

4. Spread 1/2 c. salsa in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange six tortillas over salsa. Spoon 2 c. chicken mixture over tortillas. Top with 3/4 c. salsa and 1/2 c. of each cheese (monterrey jack and feta).

5. Repeat another layer, beginning with six tortillas. End with remaining cheeses.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

Wow! Time has gotten away from me. Between the holidays and two active babies, I have been repeating some of my easiest, fastest recipes all holiday season. But it's time to start trying new things again! This Cooking Light recipe is a great use of sweet potatoes while they are in season.

ROSEMARY MASHED SWEET POTATOES

Recipe Notes

Creamy mashed potatoes without butter or cream! I actually used less oil than the recipe calls for (did not drizzle any over the top).

Nutritional Information

202 calories - 6.3 g. fat - 2.9 g. protein - 34.9 g. carbs - 4.8 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil (I skipped the 2 tsp part)
• 3/4 c. thinly-sliced shallots
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp fresh, chopped rosemary
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a skillet over low heat. Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes (stirring occasionally).

2. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cook for 20 minutes more or until shallots are golden and caramelized.

3. Boil potatoes and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Drain.

4. Place potatoes in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth. Stir in rosemary, salt, and pepper and beat until well-blended.

5. Top with shallots and drizzle with remaining two tsp. oil, if desired.