Quick & Healthy: Chicken Sate with Ponzu Sauce

The holidays can be a fantastic time for dining, filled with rich flavors and loaded plates.  So during this 'between holidays' week I have found myself both ready to kick start my new year resolutions and ready to relax.  So quick, easy, and healthy dinners are finding their way back onto our menu plan.

Chicken Sate is great option for a midweek dinner.  It is pretty fast to prepare, tasty, and easy on the waist at only 267 calers per serving.  We pulled this recipe from an issue of Cooking Light a couple of years ago and it was a great find.  While the recipe is for grilling, we turn this into a midwest winter friendly recipe by simply cooking the meat in a hot oven.  You could also broil it or sautee it while patiently waiting for the spring thaw and return of grilling weather.

This recipe takes between 20 to 30 minutes for us.  Typically we work in parallel to keep everything moving (and spend time preparing our dinner together- of course!), I will stir up the Ponzu Sauce while Dan prepares the chicken and then we will prepare a side dish of asian noodles while the chicken cooks.

Chicken Sate with Ponzu Sauce

Source: Cooking Light
Servings: 4 (can be cut in half for 2 very easily!)

• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  sake (rice wine)
• 1/4  cup  rice vinegar
• 1/4  cup  fresh lime juice
• 2  teaspoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• Cooking spray

Cut each chicken breast half lengthwise into 4 strips. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a small bowl; stir until sugar dissolves. Combine half of sake mixture and all of chicken in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Reserve remaining sake mixture.

Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Thread 1 chicken strip onto each of 16 (8-inch) skewers. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until done.  If grilling isn't an option cook for between 8-10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Serve with remaining sake mixture (or peanut sauce if preferred).

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Comments

[Linda]

Yum. I love ponzu. I can't wait to try this!