Weight Watchers Chicken and Potato Casserole

This recipe was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I wasn't sure since I had to modify the recipe. And frankly, my modification were just fine and probably made it better.

The recipe says to slice the potatoes with a vegetable peeler. It's just too difficult. So I sliced them thin and went that route. Turned out just fine.

I'll make this again, for sure. Oh, the other thing I'd do is NOT use all the paprika. I only used 1.5 T and it was a bit overwhelming for me.

Chicken and Potato Casserole
Recipe from Weight Watchers Ultimate Chicken
Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 c - 225 cal

1 (3/4 lb) baking potato, preferably a russet potato, peeled
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (as if)
3/4 lb ground skinless chicken breasts
2 T paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c reduced sodium chicken stock
1/2 c fat free sour cream

Fill a large bowl with cool water. Cut the potato in half lengthwise. Using a vegetable peeler, make thin "noodles" from the cut sides of the potato, letting the strips fall into a bowl of cool water.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drain the potato noodles and add them to the pot. Cook until they lose their crunchy edge, no more than 2 minutes. Drain and refresh the cool water.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 1 quart shallow baking dish with nonstick spray.

Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the chicken and cook thoroughly.  Add the paprika, salt and pepper, then pour in the broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute (JW note: I found I had to simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce the liquid a bit). Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the baking dish making one overlapping layer. Add 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat the layering two more times; ending with chicken on top.

Bake until lightly browned and bubbling; about 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Weight Watchers Thai Style Chicken

In my new eating plan I'm supposed to eat 30 grams of protein a meal - and then some - to get to a total of 105 grams total for the day. In order to do that, I fear, I need to eat a lot of chicken. In order to eat a lot of chicken I have to make it interesting and flavorful.

This recipe was not my favorite. It was missing, well, flavor. If I make it again, I'd put lime in it to add flavor.

Thai Style Chicken
Recipe from Weight Watchers Ultimate Chicken
Makes 4 servings

1 c light coconut milk
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 T Asian fish sauce
2 large garlic cloves, crushed through a press
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 (1/2 lb) whole chicken legs, skinned (I used chicken breasts)

Combine the coconut milk through black pepper. Then add the chicken into a sealed Ziploc and marinade for at least 4 hours or over night.

Grill the chicken until done.