Question: Toby, what is your favorite healthy recipe?

Answer: I love a wide variety of healthy recipes (including desserts!) so I had to put a little thought into this answer. When I met my husband he kept telling me about this Russian dish his father made called Chicken Plov. After speaking to my father-in-law I realized it was an Uzbekistani recipe and searched high and low until I finally got my hands on an Uzbek cookbook. After some trial and error, I developed my own healthy version that my entire family loves.

Chicken Plov

Yield: 8 serving (about 1¾ cups per serving)

Ingredients:

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks (boneless chicken thighs or legs can be substituted)
3 tablespoons canola oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
6 carrots, peeled and shredded
5 cup low sodium chicken broth or stock, divided
2 cups basmati rice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add chicken pieces and cook until all sides are browned about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Lower heat to low and add onions and garlic; cook until onions turn an opaque white, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and cook for additional 5 minutes.
4. Add 3 cups of broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender  for about 15 minutes.
5. Slowly add rice on top of chicken. Add the remaining broth without moving the rice around (it should remain on top of chicken) and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. While simmering, poke holes towards the center of the pot with the handle of a wooden spoon. Cover and continue to cook over low heat for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until rice is cooked through.

Nutrition info per serving:

Calories: 345
Total Fat:  2.5 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Total Carbohydrate: 47 grams
Protein:  33 grams
Sodium:  310 milligrams
Cholesterol: 66 milligrams
Fiber: 2 grams