Low fat chicken recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Holidays are made to be celebrated, but that doesn't mean you need to over-indulge. Keep your fiesta deliciously healthy and fun with these low fat chicken recipes.

Low fat chicken appetizer recipe for Cinco de Mayo

Once you've served up your entree, keep your guests' taste buds happy with this healthy Mexican side dish.

Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas

Recipe adapted from Healthy. Delicious.

• Serves 10
• Serving size one flouta

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 16 ounces light beer
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 3 cups spinach, chopped
• 5 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas
• 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh salsa, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Put the chicken breast in a deep sided sauté pan and cover with the beer and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. Mix the chicken and seasonings together.
3. Save 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and pour out the rest. Add the jalapeno and spinach to the sauté pan with the remaining liquid and cook over low heat for two to three minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
4. Cut the tortillas in half. Spoon about one tablespoon of the chicken mixture along the long edge of a tortilla. Then, add about 1/10 of the spinach and cheese to each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge.
5. Place all 10 flautas seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet.
6. Brush the flautas with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy.
7. Serve with salsa.

Estimated nutritional information: Calories 170, Fat 8 grams, Protein 18 grams, Fiber 3 grams

Low fat chicken entrees

Your family and friends will want to keep the party going well into the night as long as you keep serving up these entrees.

Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Recipe adapted from My Recipes

• Serves four
• Serving size two tacos

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 3/4 teaspoon ancho Chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Cooking spray
• 1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 1/4 cup plain, fat free Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons skim milk
• 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced
• 2 cups packaged angel hair slaw
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with Chili powder, garlic salt, and cumin. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook four minutes, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Combine lime rind, one tablespoon lime juice, Greek yogurt, skim milk and avocado in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
3. Combine remaining one tablespoon juice, slaw, onions, cilantro, oil, and salt, tossing to coat.
4. Heat tortillas according to directions. Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with about one tablespoon avocado mixture and 1/4 cup slaw mixture.

Estimated nutritional information: Calories 310, Fat 11 grams, Saturated Fat 2 grams, Protein 30 grams, Fiber 5 grams

Healthy Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

Recipe adapted from Eat Better America

• Serves eight
• Serving size one burrito

Ingredients:

• Instant brown rice
• Water as called for on rice box
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded and cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup medium salsa
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 8 whole wheat tortillas
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Additional salsa, if desired

Directions:

1. Cook two servings worth of rice according to the directions on the package. Use 1/8 teaspoon salt to cook the rice, but omit butter if called for.
2. In a medium-sized microwaveable bowl, mix chicken, black beans, one cup salsa and chili powder. Microwave on High 2 minutes or until hot, stirring after one minute.
3. Place cooked rice in large bowl; stir in cilantro and lime juice until well blended.
4. Heat tortillas as directed on package. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla. Top with about 1/4 cup rice mixture and one to two tablespoons cheese. Fold sides of tortilla toward center and fold ends over.
5. If desired, grill burritos in a skillet for one to two minutes on each side to attain a crispier tortilla.
6. Serve with additional salsa, if desired.

Estimated nutritional information: Calories 240, Fat 8 grams, Saturated Fat 3.5 grams, Protein 18 grams, Fiber 5 grams

Lime Jalapeno Chicken

Recipe adapted from EatingWell

• 8 servings
• Serving size 1.5 ounces each

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1-1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

For the best flavor, perform steps one through three the day before you serve so that the chicken can marinate for longer.

1. Whisk lime juice, oil, vinegar, cumin and salt in a small bowl.
2. Stir in jalapeno.
3. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning once, or overnight.
4. Preheat grill to high heat. Oil the grill rack by rubbing the rack with an oil coated paper towel held in tongs.
5. Grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, three to four minutes per side. Let cool slightly; thinly slice crosswise. Serve warm or chilled.

Optional: Serve chicken with rice, corn or in whole wheat tortillas topped with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.

Estimated nutritional information (chicken only): Calories 71, Fat 2 grams, Saturated Fat 0 grams, Protein 11 grams, Fiber 0 grams

Header image credit: Sea Turtle, http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-turtle/4580228548/