Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Crispy Parmesan Ranch Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice


So, I have been trying my darnedest to get back into losing weight. I had been doing so good... but once you get off track, if you have ever tried to lose weight, you know how hard it is to pick up the healthy habits again. But, I AM going to do it. So I made a few little goals for myself. And I know they are going to be hard, but I want to do them.

The first goal, I have to cut back on the CHOCOLATE. If you know me at all... you know I am a complete chocoholic. If they had a rehab for chocoholism... I would qualify. It can be pathetic lol. So that is a huge obstacle for me. But I am also a believer in if you cut something you love out of your life completely... you will not stick to it. It just will not happen, that is why I hate diets. Cutting so many things out that you are used to, just makes you crave those things more. So I believe in simply reducing the amount and portion control. Don't drive yourself crazy over cutting out every little bad thing. IT. JUST. WON'T. WORK.

Second goal... for a whole month, NO FAST FOOD. No eating out. And if we do go out to eat, no fried food. I want to see if I can do this at LEAST for a month, if not more... because I am also a fan of the food a la fried.

And third... I want to treat myself sometimes for doing so good. And I love buying clothes and jewelry. So I figured every 15 pounds, I would allow myself to buy maybe a new shirt, or a new necklace, or heck, something for the kitchen! haha. Have something to look forward to besides the fact that I am going to feel much better about myself in the end. :)

So enough of my rambling, if you want to know more about how the process is going for me, let me know. I can make seperate posts related to how things are going, what all I am doing, etcetera. :)

This chicken... was absolutely delicious! I got the recipe from How Sweet Eatsblog and I just altered it a little bit by adding some cajun seasoning. I'm sorry, but I love my little spice and bite in my food.

Along with that, I decided to make some rice, which I got from the amazing blogAnnie's Eats. Now, this was my first time making rice... definitely needed to cook longer haha. But my dad really loved it with the chicken. Me... not so much. I think it was the cilantro putting me off. But it can't always be what I like. Enjoy the recipes, hope you try them out! <3

(The chicken recipe was for strips, but I just used whole boneless skinless chicken breasts.)

Parmesan Ranch Crispy Chicken Fingers

Recipe from How Sweet Eats

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
1 packet ranch seasoning mix
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
ADDITIONAL: Cajun seasoning

Combine buttermilk and 1/2 packet of ranch mix in a baking dish. Add chicken tenders to buttermilk. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine panko, parmesan, remaining ranch seasoning and flour in a large bowl. Coat chicken pieces in panko mix, then lay on a wire rack sitting on a baking sheet. Continue with remaining chicken pieces. Spray each piece with cooking spray or olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip, coat with cooking spray, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Recipe from Annie's Eats

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped

Combine the rice, 2 cups water and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir briefly, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook, covered, until the water is absorbed and rice is fluffy and tender, 16-18 minutes. (Cooking time can vary depending on the brand of rice. Check the package directions.)

While the rice is cooking, combine the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Stir the mixture into the cooked rice and fluff with a fork.


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