Savor late summer with this easy chicken sandwich
A juicy barbecued chicken sandwich with a bell pepper and bean salad makes an easy summer supper. Use bought cooked chicken breast or leftover chicken for this recipe. Bottled barbecue sauce helps makes this dinner a breeze.
Canned red kidney beans and fresh green pepper are spiced with cumin and chili powder in this crunchy salad to accompany the chicken.
Helpful hints:
■ Any type of reducedfat oil and vinegar dressing can be used for the salad.
■ Any type of roll can be used for the sandwich.
■ To avoid heating up a large oven for 2 rolls, use a toaster oven.
Countdown:
■ Make Peppery Bean Salad.
■ Prepare chicken dish.
Shopping list:
To buy: 1 medium green bell pepper, 3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast, 1 small bottle reducedfat olive oil and vinegar dressing, 1 bottle low-sugar barbecue sauce, 1 small container ground cumin, 1 small container chili powder, 1 small can reduced-sodium red kidney beans, 1 bottle hot pepper sauce, and 1 small package whole wheat hamburger rolls.
Staples: garlic, salt and black peppercorns.
BARBECUED CHICKEN ROLL
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer 1/2 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast, skin and bones removed
1/2 cup low-sugar barbecue
sauce
1 medium garlic clove,
crushed
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper
sauce
2 whole wheat or whole grain hamburger rolls Cut chicken into thin strips. Combine barbecue sauce, garlic and hot pepper sauce together in a nonstick skillet. Add the chicken strips. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Or, mix in microwave-proof bowl and heat on high 2 minutes.
To serve, slice roll in half and toast in toaster or regular oven for 2 minutes.
Spoon a little sauce over open rolls. Place chicken on rolls. Spoon remaining sauce over the top.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 389 calories (13 percent from fat), 5.8 g fat (1.2 g saturated, 1.4 g monounsaturated),105 mg cholesterol, 35.5 g protein, 44.6 g carbohydrates, 3.3 g fiber, 967 mg sodium
PEPPERY BEAN SALAD
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer 1 tablespoon reduced-fat olive oil and vinegar dressing
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup rinsed and drained, reduced-sodium canned red kidney beans Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix olive oil and vinegar dressing, ground cumin and chili powder together in a small salad bowl. Add green pepper and kidney beans. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste for seasoning adding more cumin, chili powder or salt and pepper, if needed.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 115 calories (16 percent from fat), 2 g fat (0.3 g saturated, 0.5 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 6.4 g protein, 19.9 g carbohydrates, 5.6 g fiber, 51 mg sodium Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook," "Delicious OnePot Dishes" and "Quick and Easy Chicken." Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @lgassenheimer.