Today, my dinner consisted of a chicken breast cooked with tomatoes, with a side dish of string beans. Many people do not like chicken breast meat because they say it is hard and dry, but I think if it is prepared well, it will not turn out that way.

Chicken breast meat is high in protein, low in fat and full of nutrients such as B vitamins, amino acids, potassium, selenium, niacin and magnesium (source: MDhealth.com). These nutrients are important to help us build and maintain our bodies. Depending on the way it is cooked, chicken breast meat can be low in calories as well (about 150 to 260 calories).

Of all of the parts of the chicken, the chicken breast is the piece that is lowest in fat, making it an ideal meat for people who observe healthy eating and anyone monitoring their fat intake. Because it contains no carbohydrates, chicken breast meat is also a good food for anyone on a no- or low-carb diet. Furthermore, boneless and skinless chicken breasts contain only small amounts of fat and the least amount of calories of any of the chicken breasts.

Here’s my recipe of the day. Try it and let me know how it goes. 🙂

 

Chicken Breasts with Cherry Tomatoes
Serves: 2
Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, white pepper and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
3 pips garlic (finely chopped)
2 tsp. fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dried
6 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tsp. Worcester sauce (also known as Worcestershire sauce)
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. sugar *
10 cherry tomatoes (cut into half, lengthwise)
½ cup water

Method:

1. Defrost and wash chicken breasts. Dry on kitchen towels. Put into a plastic bag, one at a time, then pound with a meat tenderizer mallet (Google it to see what it looks like 🙂 ).
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, white pepper and black pepper. Give it a rub.
3. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chicken and sauté over medium-high heat, turning them over with thongs until lightly browned. This will take about 5 mins.
4. Add the onion and garlic around the chicken. Stir-fry briefly. Then add the tarragon, tomato puree, Worcester sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar and water. Stir to mix well, then cover the lid to simmer at medium heat for 9 to 10 mins. Open the lid every 3 to 5 mins to stir the mixture and turn the chicken breasts.
5. When the chicken pieces have been cooked through, add the cherry tomatoes, stir, then cover to cook for 1 min. If you like more sauce, add a bit more water when you add the cherry tomatoes and bring the sauce to a boil before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve warm with a salad, rice or pasta.

* Note: Sugar makes the sauce less sour. But if you like it sour, you can omit the sugar.

Garlic String Beans
Side dish

Ingredients:
String beans (washed and ends removed)
Garlic (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. of water
1 tbsp. olive oil

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the garlic and sauté over medium-high heat till it starts to turn golden.
2. Add in string beans and a pinch of salt. Sauté till the beans are cooked through, which is when they have changed to a brighter shade of green. If you want the beans to cook faster, you can add 1 tbsp. of water and cover the lid of the pan, but check frequently to make sure they are not overcooked.

 

After the meal, I made myself a cup of hot aromatic passionfruit and orange tea. I added a tsp. of sugar, because that’s how I like to prepare fruit teas. However, I would like to try adding stevia (a natural sweetener) to my fruit teas one day to see how it turns out. I’m always looking for healthier options. 🙂