Diabetic Recipes

Chicken and Rice with Yogurt Sauce


(makes 4 servings)

This chicken dish is Spanish in origin, yet uses short grained Italian Arborio rice, the same rice that's used to make risotto. The result is a superb one-dish meal. All you need to finish your dinner is a light dessert like fresh fruit and fat free cheese or frozen grapes. A demitasse of espresso would cap this off with a European flair.
1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 whole skinless and boneless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces (224 g) each, halved
5 ounces (150 g) chopped onion
4 ounces (120 g) chopped red bell pepper
4 ounces (120 g) chopped green bell pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup (250 g) Arborio rice
1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) turmeric
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml ) Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) 99% fat free, no-salt-added canned chicken broth
1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine
1/2 cup(114 g) nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons (30 g) chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190° C), gas mark 5.
  2. Heat the oil in a non- stick oven proof casserole or skillet. Dry the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper and brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
  3. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, and tomato; stir until the onion is soft. Add the rice, turmeric, paprika, cumin and coriander. Stir to coat.
  4. Add the broth and wine and return the chicken to the casserole. Bring to a simmer and then place in the oven and bake uncovered until the rice is cooked al dente and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
  5. While the chicken is cooking, combine the yogurt, parsley, and lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  6. When the chicken and rice are done, spoon the rice onto a serving platter, top with chicken breasts and drizzle yogurt sauce over the chicken. Pass the rest of the sauce.
Per serving: 388 calories (8% calories from fat), 33 g protein, 3 g total fat (0.7 g saturated fat), 52 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 66 mg cholesterol, 237 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 3 very lean protein, 3 1/2 carbohydrate (2 1/2 bread/starch, 2 vegetable)