January = diet?

Ummm, not in this house.  And I completely blame it on this blog.  100%.  No question.  Gotta get back on the horse.  


So, when Lisa from Lisa's Cooking Adventures was looking for guest bloggers for the latest group of healthy chicken recipes from Cooking Light, I hopped on board.  I can always use more ideas on how to prepare chicken in light, delicious ways.  Since I knew I'd have leftover buttermilk from the German Chocolate Cake I made yesterday, I chose the recipe below.  


And then, I made one of the heaviest side dishes in existence.  But I swear, I lightened it up (a bit)!


The verdict on both - delicious.  Frank LOVED the chicken.  I did too, although there were a few minor issues.  


One was totally my fault - the cast iron pan I was using was too small for the amount of chicken I made (they were 4 really large breasts).  So, I had to cook it in 2 batches, and transfer it to a baking pan for the oven portion of the cooking.  Not a huge deal, but it may have taken away from the taste a bit because it wasn't in the oil the entire time.


Also, the crust came off pretty easily when I was transferring the chicken from the pan to the plates.  Not sure why, or if there's anything that can be done to prevent it, but we all know the crust is the best part, so it was a bit of a bummer.


And of course, the potatoes were awesome.  

Thanks for a fun challenge, Lisa!  I'll definitely make this dish again.


Crispy Buttermilk Chicken
from Cooking Light

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 3/4 cups whole buttermilk (I used lowfat)
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon onion powder, divided  (I used garlic powder)
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons canola oil


Place chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Combine buttermilk, egg, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper; add to bag. Seal. Marinate in refrigerator 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°.  Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle kosher salt over chicken. Combine 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper, flour, black pepper, and celery salt in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Place chicken on a wire rack.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes. Turn chicken over. Bake chicken at 425° for 10 minutes.

Serves 4
WW Points+ per serving = 9

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes  adapted from Allrecipes

• 4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 onion, sliced into rings
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk  (one cup whole, one cup skim)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (lowfat)
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
• 
  
• Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 
  
• In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• 
  
• Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.