1 cup dried minced onion
1/3 cup cup chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin (I actually add an extra tablespoon-we love cumin)
4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder

Combine all ingredients and store in a cool, dry place.

When you’re using for Mexican dishes, use about 1 tablespoon or so per 1 pound ground beef, or chicken or beans. More if you like the extra flavor.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
3 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound boneless chicken (whatever is on sale), chopped into bite-sized pieces*
3/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 (16-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup apple juice
12 ounces tomato sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups salsa (your favorite)

Garnishes (optional):
Sour Cream
Baked tortilla chips
Shredded Monterey Jack OR Cheddar cheese OR a pre-mixed Mexican blend
Sliced black olives
Sliced green onions
Chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat; add onion and sauté until translucent. Add chopped chicken and cook for about 4 minutes, or until browned on all sides (you do not need to cook it all the way through). Stir in the cumin and chili powder.

Add remaining ingredients (black beans through salsa), cover and heat through. Serve in bowls and garnish as desired.

*LEANNE’S NOTE: Partially freeze chicken for ease in cutting.

NUTRITION per serving: 257 Calories; 5g Fat; 26g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 44mg Cholesterol; 1212mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat. Points: 5

(or how to make one chicken into three great meals)
Serves for 3 Days

Chicken, washed and patted dry
1/2 celery rib, cut in pieces
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut in 2-inch pieces
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Day 1: Make a roasted chicken. If you don’t know how, don’t fret, I’ll help you. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and place your clean chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up, with all the veggies placed in the cavity. Season liberally and cook. Baste it if you like. Depending on the size, it will take an hour or two to roast. While the chicken is cooking,throw the neck in some water to make additional stock for the gravy. Cook it on low.

When the chicken is done, the leg should move easily in the socket. Before you make gravy, remove chicken to a cutting board and pour all the cooking juice out from the roaster into a bowl to cool. Put it in the fridge or freezer to encourage the fat to glob up on to the top. Then you can skim off that nasty fat and throw it away. Return the juice — without the fat — to the same pan and deglaze your pan by scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

In a small mixing bowl, take a tablespoon of flour, about 3/4 cup of cool water and make a smooth paste. Heat the cooking juice, add the neck broth (this is really starting to sound gross!) and then add your paste. Using your wire whisk, whisk like a crazy lady over a fairly high heat till your gravy starts to look like gravy. Remove from heat and serve with mashed potatoes and lots of vegetables. Remember, you want leftovers.

Day 2: On the menu tonight is — Chicken and Bean Burritos! To make, pick every scrap of chicken off the bones and toss it together in a pan with a can of black beans (or equivalent homemade). Add about a teaspoon each of garlic powder and cumin and warm it up. In the meantime, get out your fixin’s: shredded cheese, salsa, chopped cilantro, sour cream, whatever you like. Warm your tortillas and serve buffet style.

Day 3: Take the skeletal remains and toss it in a pot with a stick of celery, a carrot or two and a big onion. You don’t even need to cut the veggies up. Throw a quart or more of cold water over the top and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for an hour or so until the veggies are mushy. Strain the whole thing (now you can throw out that chicken with a good conscience!) and make whatever soup your heart desires.

Serves 4

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine first 7 ingredients; sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breast halves.

In a skillet, heat butter and olive oil together over medium-high heat; saute chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side; remove from skillet and keep warm.

Add lime juice and chicken broth to the skillet, whisking up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly. Return chicken to the skillet to thoroughly coat with the sauce; serve.

Per Serving: 343 Calories; 11g Fat; 55g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 147mg Cholesterol; 612mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 7 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat. Points: 8

LC SERVING SUGGESTION: Steamed green beans and Cauli-rice (process cauliflower in a blender or food processor until it resembles grains of rice; steam “rice” until tender; drain; salt and pepper to taste and fluff with a fork).

SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve brown rice instead of Cauli-rice.

KOSHER: Use all oil instead of butter and oil.

Variations of Garlic Lime Chicken

Tex Mex
T op with cilantro, avocado, tomato and red onion.
Serve with black beans, whole wheat tortillas and a large salad.

Capers Verison
Use 4 tablespoons lemon juice instead of lime juice.
Top with capers and parsley