food
Recipe: Grilled Zesty Ranch Chicken for Summer
We are counting down the final school days until our summer begins. My cooking priorities shift to accommodate our schedule of spending more time outside. Here are my top three requirements for summer dinners:
| My Requirements | Answers! | Tips and Tricks |
| Easy preparation | Recipes with few ingredients and “ready to assemble” foods like pre-made sauces. | Stock your kitchen with staples: milk, cheese, yogurt, whole grains, your favorite meat and canned beans to round out a meal. |
| Fresh produce | Grow it or use what’s in season. | Give Mom a Break: teach children how to help purchase and prepare foods. |
| Cool it in the kitchen! | Back away from the oven and move to the grill or microwave. | Salads, sandwiches and grilled meals take center stage. |
I almost always have chicken in the freezer and a large container of plain yogurt in the refrigerator. Defrosting chicken overnight and then marinating it before it sears on the grill creates a moist and flavorful chicken. This Ranch Chicken recipe is so simple to make with only four ingredients that even your kids can prepare it. Be sure to teach little ones about food safety (handling raw chicken means washing hands before touching anything else) and older children can even work the grill.
When I make this chicken, I double the recipe. The first night, I serve the chicken hot with a Cucumberand Tomato Salad and a grain that I can microwave, like quinoa seasoned with lemon, basil and olive oil. The next day, I slice the second half of the chicken, and serve on top of a hearty salad or heap into a homemade submarine-style sandwich. That means one less evening in the kitchen and more family play time outside.
Zesty Ranch Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup Plain non-fat yogurt
- 1/4 cup Skim milk
- 1/2 package Dry ranch dressing mix
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, milk and ranch mix.
2. Place chicken breasts into a large plastic sealable bag.
2. Pour yogurt mix into bag with chicken breasts. Seal and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Grill chicken breasts over medium flame for 20 minutes, turning once.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 308 ; Total Fat: 3g ; Saturated Fat: 1g ; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g ; Carbohydrates: 7g ; Protein: 59g ; Vitamin A: 21mg ; Calcium: 165mg ; Sodium: 458mg ; Iron: 2mg
What changes do you make when preparing summer meals?
Trina Robertson, MS, RD is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. As a HealthyEating.org Mom she shares her positive approach to healthy eating with the goal of inspiring others to prepare and enjoy foods from each of the food groups. As a Project Manager with the Dairy Council of California, Trina develops, evaluates, and promotes nutrition education materials for students and adults. At home she enjoys cooking and sharing meals with her family. Her most rewarding accomplishment is that her boys are good eaters and are learning to cook. Follow Trina on Twitter @TrinaR_RD and find more Healthy Eating ideas on Facebook.
Trina Robertson
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