Ginger, Lime, and Cilantro Chicken

I'm back. This time, for real. Promise!

I'll be honest...I had not been cooking a lot lately. But in the last few weeks, I've managed to get back into the "WW" mindset. And now that I've moved to Athens to start the next chapter of my life, I'm excited to begin some more culinary experimentation.  My kitchen doesn't have a lot of counter

space, and I can already tell that cooking may become frustrating at times...but the results, hopefully, should be worth it.

This recipe is another from the WW playbook.  I've tried to make it a few times, but to no avail. I would always forget that this recipe calls for the chicken to bathe in its marinade for 2 to 3 hours. When I sit down at 6 o'clock to cook, I don't exactly want to wait until after 8pm to begin cooking.  But right now, I'm on an extended hiatus in Athens; I'm done with my job at UNF, have moved to Athens, but won't start work and classes in my doctorate program until mid-August(ish).  So I have a lot of free time on my hands. I decided to give this recipe a shot because it just sounded delicious.

Ingredients

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons minced scallions

(The original recipe also called for lime zest; I did not have any limes handy, so I just skipped it.  It also called for fresh ginger root rather than the ginger, but again, I went with the ingredients I had on hand.)

1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, honey, and half of the cilantro.  Whisk well. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the marinade.

2. Add chicken to the bowl. Coat well.  Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

3. When the chicken is thoroughly marinated, preheat the broiler to high. Place the chicken in a baking dish. Discard marinade. Broil chicken for 4 to 6 minutes.

4. Flip the chicken and brush the reserved marinade. Resume broiling the chicken for another 4 to 6 minutes.

5. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, sprinkle with scallions and remaining cilantro. Spoon any sauce from the baking dish onto the chicken.

Yields 4 servings total
Points Plus value: 5

I served the chicken with a side of steamed broccoli and brown rice. The chicken was incredibly flavorful and I didn't want to pair it with anything that would have a competing flavor.

***And because I care, a PSA about kitchen safety. I am somewhat hypochondriacal sometimes, and was convinced that I had developed salmonella poisoning after handling the chicken. I did not really, but it warrants a warning: make sure you handle all raw meats, eggs, and unprocessed dairy with care. Wash your hands after handling these items, and cook them all thoroughly.

Okay, that's it. I'll get off my soapbox now.  

Shrimp Pico De Gallo

If you're a frequent reader of my blog, it is probably not surprising that I enjoy Mexican cuisine.  One of the easiest recipes to make is pico de gallo. Pico, or salsa fresca, has less liquid than other salsas.

This recipe takes the classic salsa fresca and ups the ante...it adds some shrimp!  This was one of those recipes that I didn't quite write anything down; I just sort of added ingredients as I felt inspired.  I like cilantro, so I add more than other people probably prefer. 

Ingredients
2 large tomatoes
1/4 red onion
Cilantro, to taste (I used about 1/4 cup, chopped)
1/2 lb cooked large shrimp
Juice from one lime
Salt
Chili powder

1. Cube tomatoes. Dice onion. Chop up the shrimp into small pieces.

2. Add the tomatoes, onions,  cilantro, lime, and spices to a bowl. Combine all ingredients and let it sit for a few minutes.

3. Add the shrimp and toss the ingredients together. Add additional cilantro, salt, and chili powder as needed.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

I served this as a side dish to a bowl of Santa Fe Chicken Soup from Campbell's. It was a quick, easy, and delicious meal!

Yields about 4 servings total
Points Plus value: 2