Want a heart-healthy diet that’s also tasty? Nutritionists found that the traditional Greek diet — which focuses on vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts and yogurt; olive oil as the sole source of added fat; only a few weekly servings of fish, poultry, eggs and sweets; and red meats saved for special occasions only — is one of the healthiest eating styles you can choose. Here’s one easy recipe:
Greek-Style Stewed Chicken
What you’ll need:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast tenders, visible fat discarded
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
- 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, drained and coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
What you’ll do:
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook chicken for 2 minutes on each side.
- Add the bell pepper and shallots. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Serves 4. Per serving: 197 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat), 66 mg cholesterol, 404 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 28 g protein. Recipe adapted with permission from the American Heart Association’s Low Fat Low Cholesterol Cookbook.
