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[Recipes] Pan-Seared Italian Chicken & Broccolini — Low Carb, Cals

Posted by on Sep 26, 2012 in Diet It UP, Recipes | 0 comments

italian chicken and broccolini recipes, italian chicken recipes, garlic nutrition, broccolini, broccolini nutrition, chicken recipes, low carb recipes, low calorie recipes, italian chicken dish recipes, chicken and broccolini recipe

My homemade italian chicken and broccolini recipe

Mangiamo! If you’re looking for a mouthgasmic low cal, low carb, protein-packed dinner, my pan-seared Italian Chicken and Broccolini recipe is as good as it gets. It oozes the savory Italian flavors of fresh grape tomatoes, rich EVOO, basil, oregano, and garlic, and cooks up easily for dinner in under 20 minutes.

Like the bright green broccolini above, it absolutely RADIATES health, with a heavy dose of protein, vitamin C and vitamin K, selenium, fiber, omega-3s and healthy fats, and antioxidants. Compounds in broccolini — aka baby broccoli — tomatoes, and garlic all have antioxidant properties and are extremely anti-inflammatory, which helps prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, and other degenerative diseases. That one-two-three punch practically serves as a suit of kevlar to protect your cells against any and all health issues.123

Garlic, specifically, is loaded with sulfur-bearing compounds known as thiosulfinates, sulfoxides, and dithiin, which not surprisingly are the reason why garlic smells so strong. If you can get over the smell, these compounds are incredibly healthy — they help unclog blood vessels and prevent clots, and effectively reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Garlic also adds incredible flavor, sans calories or carbs.4

Seriously — dinner doesn’t get much healthier than this. Pan-seared italian chicken and broccolini makes the perfect LIGHT dinner for the whole family, and for those who are low-carbing and calorie conscious, it only has 220 calories and 5.5 g of net carbs per serving.

 

Cook & Prep Time - 20 minutes
Servings - 4

 

Main Benefits:

 

Ingredients -

  • 1 pound chicken breast
  • 2 cups broccolini - if you can’t find broccolini, broccoli, kale, and spinach all work too.
  • 2 cups sliced grape tomatoes - extremely rich in the antioxidant lycopene.
  • 2 tbsp EVOO
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2.5 tbsp dried Oregano
  • 2.5 tbsp dried Basil - dried spices are handier, but if you have fresh basil that’s even better
  • Cayenne Pepper - adjust this based on your spice tolerance.
  • Balsamic Glaze (optional)

 

Pre-cooking, with prep completed.

 

Directions -

1. Cut up the chicken breast into small strips, grape tomatoes in half, and garlic cloves into long pieces. Slice the broccolini to remove any leaves and separate into long spears.

2. Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray (PAM) and turn the stove to medium heat.

3. Place the chicken, tomatoes, garlic, and broccolini in the pan and distribute evenly.

4. Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle with EVOO.

5. Stir over medium heat and allow it to cook for ~ 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through and the broccolini is a vibrant green. The broccolini and tomatoes should be soft and begin to wilt. DO NOT burn the garlic, it’ll ruin the entire dish.

6. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for 3 minutes. Done - enjoy! 

7. *Optional — drizzle with a balsamic glaze. This adds a bit more sugar & carbs, but it gives the dish a succulent, intense balsamic taste.

 

Nutrition Facts Per Serving -

  • Calories - 220
  • Fat - 4.9 g
  • Saturated Fat — 1 g
  • Omega 3’s — 400 mg
  • Fiber - 2.5 g
  • Total carbs - 8 g
  • Net carbs — 5.5 g
  • Protein - 28.25 g
  • Vitamin A - 25%
  • Vitamin C - 65%
  • Vitamin K - 70%



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References, Notes, Links
  1. WebMD - The Super-Veggies: Cruciferous Vegetables [↩]
  2. Broccoli [↩]
  3. Broccolini [↩]
  4. WHFoods: Garlic [↩]
 

Bryan DiSanto

Owner & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP
Bryan DiSanto is the Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, ACE-CPT & CSN, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness/nutrition nutjob.

When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.

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