Almond Orange Crusted Chicken With Fennel Arugula Salad
This light dish provides a healthier alternative to traditional fried chicken
1 orange
2 eggs whites
3/4 cup (175 mL) sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (50 mL) all purpose flour
4 pieces thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 pound, 454 g)
Cooking spray
1/2 small bulb of fennel, halved, cored and thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 cup, 250 mL)
4 cups (1 L) arugula, lightly packed, coarsely chopped if leaves are large
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice
Active time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). Ten minutes before you are ready to cook the chicken, put a baking sheet in the oven to pre-heat.
Finely zest the orange and set the zest aside. Cut the top and bottom off of the orange, sit the orange on one end on a cutting board and cut the entire peel and pith off by cutting downward, following the shape of the fruit. Then, using a paring knife, remove each section of orange from the membrane. Set the orange sections aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg white until slightly frothy. In a large shallow bowl or on a plate, combine the orange zest, almonds, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Put the flour on a large plate.
Remove the pre-heated baking sheet from the oven and coat with cooking spray.
Dip each chicken breast first into the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the egg white, and then coat with the almond mixture and place on the baking sheet. Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, turn and bake for 6 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden.
While the chicken is cooking, combine the fennel, arugula and orange sections in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
To serve, place one large or two small chicken cutlets on each plate and top with a mound of the salad.
Per serving: 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup (250 mL) salad:
Calories: 340
Total fat: 17 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Monounsaturated fat: 11 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 3 g
Protein: 33 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Fibre: 4 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Sodium: 410 mg
Calcium: 124 mg
Magnesium: 100 mg
Potassium: 683 mg
Vitamin E: 5.9 mg
