Eating Well on Dialysis

Lightened Chicken Francese

These days I find myself turning more to the Internet for my recipes than to my own stock of cookbooks. If you haven't joined Pinterest, you should. It's an excellent source of healthy recipes --- I've even seen some postings of diabetic-friendly dishes. That's where I found this lightened version of Chicken Francese. It's very similar to the dialysis-friendly chicken piccata I've made frequently.

Source: pinterest.com via Lee on Pinterest

Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Adapted from Cooking Light, October 2008. This recipe is designed to feed two, no leftovers.

Cooking spray
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
2.25 oz. all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup low-fat milk

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf. Makes 2 servings.

Duck Breasts with Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce

From Cooking Light, October 2008. This is one of the more difficult recipes I've put up on this site. It requires the delicate skill of caramelizing sugar. But, if your cooking skills are up to the challenge, this would be a lovely dish for a company dinner. Serve with green and wax beans.

3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, used sparingly
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-oz.) boneless duck breast halves, skinned
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups pinot noir or other spicy dry red wine
1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whipping cream

1. Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 1 minute). Continue cooking 5 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat; carefully stir in cherries and vinegar (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon). Place pan over low heat until caramelized sugar melts.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over duck. Add duck to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut duck across the grain into thin slices.

3. Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, shallots and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 6 minutes). Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes). Pour wine mixture through a fine sieve into cherry mixture; discard solids. Bring cherry mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cream; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in another pinch of salt if desired. Serve sauce over duck. Makes 4 servings.

Quick Barbecue Chicken

Adapted from Cooking Light, September 2008. Again, I have omitted 1/2 teaspoon salt from the original recipe, thinking that really, it won't be missed with all of these other flavors going on.

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (8-oz.) bone-in chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Loosen skin from chicken by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat; rub spice mixture evenly under skin over meat. Lightly coat skin with cooking spray. Place chicken, breast-side down, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165 degrees F., turning twice. Let chicken stand 10 minutes. Remove skin; discard. Makes 2 servings.

Roast Chicken with Pears, Shallots and Walnuts

From Cooking Light, September 2008. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup walnut halves divided among 6 servings. If you really can't allow yourself any leeway in potassium and phosphorus, leave the nuts for your non-dialysis diet family or friends.

1 (4-lb.) whole roasting chicken
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 lemon, quartered
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 shallots, peeled and quartered
3 firm pears, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons toasted walnut oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Place 2 crushed garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs and lemon in body cavity. Combine chopped rosemary, pinch of Kosher salt and olive oil. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub oil mixture under skin. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Tie legs together with twine. Place chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan.

3. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 25 minutes. Arrange shallots and pears around chicken. Add broth to pan; baste chicken. Bake 30 minutes. Stir pears and shallots; baste chicken. Add walnuts to pan. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of thigh registers 165 degrees F. Let stand 20 minutes.

4. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings from pan into bag; add 1/2 cup water. Let stand 2 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into measuring cup, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard remaining fat. Return drippings to pan, and cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add remaining pinch of salt, vinegar, honey, juice and 1 minced garlic clove; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in walnut oil.

5. Remove skin from chicken; discard skin. Carve chicken; arrange chicken and pear mixture on a platter. Serve with sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Baked with Sherry-Peach Sauce

From "Low Fat Living."

8 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves
Garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, sliced
1 cup nonfat chicken broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup sherry
1 1/2 cups sliced peaches

Cut any excess fat from the chicken. Place the chicken, bone side down, in a single layer in a large baking dish. Season with garlic powder and pepper. Broil for several minutes, until the chicken is slightly browned. Set aside.

Coat a medium saucepan with non-stick spray. Cook the onions over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the broth, brown sugar, arrowroot and chili sauce. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the chicken.

Cover the chicken with a piece of foil. Refrigerate until ready to bake or continue with the next step.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and pour the sherry and peaches over the chicken. Bake uncovered, basting occasionally, for 30 minutes more, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Cutlets with Raspberry Vinaigrette

From "Low Fat Living."

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil or unsalted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Place the chicken between pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound slightly, to an even thickness. Season with pepper and salt.

Warm the oil or butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on each side and cooked throughout. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.

Add the wine, vinegar and raspberries to the pan. Raise the heat to high and cook until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour the sauce over the warm chicken and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Casserole of Duck

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt." Although this isn't a great time of year to heat up the house with the oven on for 2 hours, I have an abundance of fresh parsley, thyme and rosemary in the garden right now.

5-lb. duck, cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pepper to taste
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
Clove of garlic
1 cup red wine

Dredge the duck pieces in flour and sear well in oil. Remove pieces to a casserole dish and season with pepper. Add onion, parsley, rosemary, thyme and garlic. Pour wine over duck. Cover casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 2 hours.

Tarragon Chicken

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt." Herbs are our friends, whether we are on the dialysis diet or just watching our sodium. They add a ton of flavor without sodium, potassium or phosphorus.

3-lb. frying chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 tablespoons flour
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon tarragon
12 small onions
8 mushrooms

Dredge chicken in flour. Season with pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter or margarine in heavy skillet and brown chicken lightly. Remove skillet from heat; add brandy. Carefully ignite brandy and allow liquor to burn off. Add wine, tarragon, onions and mushrooms. Cover and cook slowly 40-45 minutes. Melt remaining butter or margarine. Pour over chicken and serve.

Chicken in Sour Cream with Paprika

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt." Chicken in the style of a paprikash or stroganoff. It uses such a small amount of sour cream that the amount of phosphorus is slight. If you prefer a spicier dish, you might want to use 1 teaspoon of hot paprika and 1 teaspoon of the mild.

2 1/2-lb. frying chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
4 tablespoons sour cream

Wash and dry chicken. Heat oil in a skillet. Mix flour and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Fry the chicken in the oil until brown. Remove and drain. Saute the onion in the oil until tender. Return chicken to pan and sprinkle with thyme. Cover and cook gently 30 minutes until done. Sprinkle the chicken with paprika. Stir in sour cream.