Making healthy food delicious

Spices plus steam equal a main dish low in fat and high in flavor

A countertop steamer makes easy work of cooking chicken and vegetables.
A countertop steamer makes easy work of cooking chicken and vegetables.

“Who wants steamed chicken for dinner?”

If you asked that question in a room full of hungry people, it’s a pretty good bet that nobody would speak up or even timidly raise their hands.

Steamed chicken has always seemed to represent the worst possible image of healthy eating — or what used to be referred to by the negative-sounding words “diet food.” Who could blame people who had been unfortunate enough to be served what most people think of as steamed chicken, something pale to the point of colorless, and with a flavor — or lack of it — to match? At least you could claim that it was moist, something that couldn’t always be said for the leanest chicken, the breast, when it was cooked without the skin or any other trace of fat.

So, please allow me to let you in on a little secret that will help you stick to a New Year’s resolution to eat more healthfully: Steamed chicken can be absolutely delicious, and beautiful, if you first season it imaginatively, then cook it along with a rainbow of fresh vegetables.

Steaming is one of the easiest, quickest and best ways to prepare boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The cooking method ensures that they stay juicy rather than turning dry like so many sauteed or grilled versions run the risk of doing if your attention wanders for more than a moment.

And, believe it or not, steamed chicken breasts can become intensely flavorful if you rub them with a lively spice paste like the one in the recipe I share here. Whipped up in a blender, the mixture features fresh ginger, garlic, scallion, crushed red-pepper flakes and a little salt, all combined with a tablespoon each of cornstarch and water to help form a smooth paste that can coat each piece of chicken. The results for the chicken in each serving are unbelievably low in calories, with only about 280 per serving, of which only 36 calories come from fat — that’s just under 13 percent fat calories!

To add it all up to a complete, nourishing meal, I include here an assortment of some of my favorite vegetables, which steam quickly right alongside the chicken. Serve the combination on top of individual bowls of steamed brown rice.

One taste, and you may well find yourself becoming a convert to the art of steaming. Feel free to vary the seasonings as you like, once you’ve tried my version here. The spice paste also works very well for steaming your favorite fish fillets.

And just imagine what fun you’ll have telling your guests you’ve made them steamed chicken for dinner — and watching their expressions change from dismay to delight at their first bite!

SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH STEAMED VEGETABLES

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts, each about 4 ounces

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced scallion

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

4 cups mixed fresh vegetables in bite-sized pieces, such as broccoli florets, carrot slices, sugar snap peas, asparagus and bell pepper

4 cups cooked brown rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 scallion, cut into thin diagonal slices

Directions:

Trim any visible fat and connective tissue from the chicken breasts; then put them on a plate large enough to hold them in a single layer.

In a blender, combine the ginger, garlic, scallion, red-pepper flakes and salt. Add the cornstarch and water, and pulse the blender on and off until the mixture forms a fine, smooth paste. With a rubber spatula, scrape the paste from the blender onto the chicken breasts, and spread it evenly over their tops. Set aside.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, or prepare a countertop steamer following the manufacturer’s instructions. Arrange the chicken breasts side by side in a steamer basket that fits snugly on top of the saucepan, or in the countertop steamer’s tray, and scatter the vegetables around the chicken. Steam the chicken until it’s cooked through and the internal temperature of a breast registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the chicken breast’s thickest part, 8 to 10 minutes, at which point the vegetables should be tender.

Scoop the rice into individual heated serving bowls or onto plates. Distribute the vegetable pieces around the rice on each plate.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut each breast crosswise at a 45-degree angle into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Fan out the slices on top of the rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions, and serve immediately.

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