Rainy Day Chicken

It’s been raining a lot here in South Florida, giving us a much needed break from the sun, but it’s also making some of us crave comfort food.  This chicken recipe is savory and delicious, yet won’t leave you slaving away in the kitchen all day.  In fact, the prep time is pretty quick and the oven does most of the work for you.

This recipe (adapted from www.wittyinthecity.com) calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  Many people are opting for cooking with dark meat chicken thighs as they have a richer flavor.  While the flavor may be richer, so are the calories.  Ounce for ounce, chicken thighs do have more calories and fat than chicken breast, adding about 30 calories (including 6 grams of fat) for a 3 ounce portion of skinless chicken.

For bariatric patients, those calories may or may not be worth the flavor.  As gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients generally eat smaller portions than those who have not had weight loss surgery, the difference in calories may be minimal.  Or for those paying close attention to their total calorie limits, those extra calories may not be expendable, and they may opt to substitute chicken breasts for this recipe, but expect a different flavor.

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 pounds)
• ½ cup dijon mustard
• ¼ real maple syrup
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix together dijon mustard, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar.
3. Place chicken thighs in a baking dish.  You can line with foil or use a disposable pan to make cleanup easier.  
4. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs.
5. Pour the maple mustard mixture over the thighs, turning to coat thoroughly.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
7. To reduce the calories, discard the remaining sauce.

The above is offered by Dr. Shillingford, M.D.,P.A., a board certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic and obesity surgery.  Dr. Shillingford’s bariatric patients come from all over South Florida, such as Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Orlando.  His gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and adjustable lap band patients are often seeking high protein recipes, and this chicken dish is not only high in protein but delicious, too.