Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tangy Glazed Chicken & Peaches

Rush, rush, rush! Everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays and no one has time to cook, right? Due to the emotional stress and lack of time brought on by these preparations, restaurants see a surge in their business at this time of year. That is one reason why many people have difficulty sticking to their food plan or gain weight between Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially when the extra calories of "dinners out" are added to all the rich foods that we've come to love and expect at the holidays. What's the solution?

For me, it is planning extra simple meals that can be whipped up in 20 minutes or less. Chicken tenderloins cook up fast and they always turn out moist and flavorful. This recipe was a spur-of-the-moment creation that came about because I had a can of peaches in the pantry and the chicken was already cooking on the stove! Honestly, I didn't know what was going to end up on my dinner plate when I put the chicken in the skillet. Wow! What a wonderful, tasty surprise these few common ingredients turned out to be! It was quick, extremely easy to prepare, healthy, delicious and I received lots of "m-mmm's" and high praise from my husband. What more could a busy woman ask for?

Tangy Glazed Chicken and Peaches
(Makes 4 servings)

1 pound chicken tenderloins
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ cup chicken stock
1 15 oz. can sliced "no sugar added" peaches, drained of all but 1 tablespoon liquid
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Add oil to a non-stick skillet and heat to medium. Add chopped onion to pan and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.

2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to pan and cook about 4 minutes per side until lightly browned and juices run clear. Add vinegar and chicken stock; stir into the onions. Add sliced peaches and nutmeg and cook until sauce has reduced into a thick glaze (most of the liquid will have evaporated). Divide chicken, onion and peaches equally among serving dishes and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information per serving: 180 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 2.7 g total fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 1.1 g fiber, 22.3 g protein

Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2009

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