Spicy chicken with clementines is big on flavor, nutrition

Our new column’s first recipe is built on ingredients that taste good and are good for our bodies.

Welcome to the Good and Good for You column: a real-life approach to health and wellness that arose out of my personal journey with losing weight. In the process, I realized that the most important concept is health gain, not weight loss.

We are often under the misassumption that if food tastes good, it’s bad for us, and if food is good for us, then it tastes bad. This cycle can lead to a life of deprivation if you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. I am a firm believer that this does not have to be true.

I’ve lost 65 pounds and kept it off for more than three years. We can enjoy food that tastes good, awakens the senses, is emotionally satisfying and supplies our bodies with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients we need to thrive. Good and Good for You recipes are built on ingredients that taste good and are good for our bodies, too.

This Spicy Chicken with Clementines is a great example. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a protein low in saturated fat, the kind of fat that is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Protein keeps us feeling full longer, which means you don’t feel the urge to eat as often. Small but powerful, clementines pack a punch with their bright taste and impressive health benefits, including vitamin C and antioxidants. In this recipe, the thin tender peel cooks as part of the dish, increasing fiber along with flavor.

The dish is punctuated with vegetables, including zesty red onions, buttery green olives and spicy chile peppers, plus a touch of honey for a sweet balance.

Join me every other week for Good and Good for You, real-life recipes that are big on flavor and health benefits, too.

Editor’s Note: Good and Good for You is a new biweekly column devoted to healthful cooking, written by Virginia Willis, chef and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author.

Read it every other Wednesday at AJC.com and in the Food & Dining section of the printed Sunday edition.

VIRGINIA WILLIS FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION Tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs combined with spicy harissa, sweet honey, thinly sliced clementines, zesty red onion and green olives are served atop arugula.