Muscle Fitness

Muscle Fitness When it comes to "What's for dinner?" chicken breast is a common answer among fitness buffs. The king of protein is found in every grocery store, doesn't require a culinary degree to cook, and is low in fat. A three ounce serving of skinless, boneless chicken breast offers 27 grams of muscle building protein and only three grams of fat. There's just one problem with this fitness food staple: It can be unbearably boring. Your best defense against chicken breast burnout is twofold: (1) Cook it differently, and (2) Flavor it better. The following guidelines and recipes will prevent you from ever having to choke down a dry bite of chicken again and leave you a satisfied http://www.foreverwithjen.co.uk breast man. Why it Works Not to be confused with thugs mowing down African elephants, poaching is a cooking technique whereby meat is prepared in hot liquid to keep it moist. The poaching liquid is most often water or broth, but you can add seasonings such as herbs, lemon slices, or spices. Do it Right Place the meat in a pot and cover with chicken broth or water make sure it's enough to cover the chicken by about one inch. Bring liquid to a slight simmer with just a few bubbles breaking the surface. Reduce heat to medium low and partially cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Adjust heat as needed and skim off foam. Why it Works Steamed meats retain exceptional moisture since they're not exposed to the intense dry heat of a skillet or oven. And without the need for cooking oils, steaming saves calories. Do it Right A bamboo steamer can include two or more layers, allowing you to steam multiple parts of a meal simultaneously, thereby streamlining meal prep and cleanup. To use, fill a pot with several inches of water and bring to a boil. Place a bamboo tray on top of the pot, secure the lid, and reduce heat to a simmer. To steam chicken, season the meat and place the breasts on a steamer tray. Steam for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear. Why it Works Brining infuses tenderness by pulling saltwater into the chicken flesh, adding flavor and helping to keep the meat juicy when cooked on a skillet or grill. Do it Right To brine four chicken breasts, place 4 to 5 cups of water along with 3 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium until sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Add chicken breasts to a large bowl and pour brine over top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour but no more than 6 hours. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium high, and simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half (about 3 minutes). Whisk cornstarch, 1 tbsp at a time, into 1 cup of the broth until smooth. Add the broth and thyme to the pan. Return to a boil and simmer until thickened (6 8 minutes). Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately atop thinly sliced chicken.1 canned chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, mincedPrepare chicken using one of the Big Three methods. Chop cooked chicken into 1 inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, mango, beans, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, juice http://www.fedwfp.org.uk of lime, and tsp salt. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic, zest, chili pepper, remaining lime juice, and salt to taste. Divide chicken mango mixture among serving bowls and top with yogurt sauce.: Build a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium high. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain, toss with 1 tbsp oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Grill potatoes until cooked through and darkened, about 8 minutes, stirring at least once. Set aside and keep warm. Brush avocado with oil and place on a greased grill, cut side down. Grill for 5 minutes, or until grill marks appear. Let cool, then mash in a bowl. Stir in tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeo, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt.