poultry picks

Diane Ridge

Poultry Picks

For healthful menu options, chicken, turkey and duck fit the bill.

The one vital meal component every body needs is protein—it plays a crucial role in bodily functions.

Protein is often referred to as a single nutrient yet proteins found in food and body cells are made up of 20 different amino acids composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, just like carbohydrates and fats. But protein also contains nitrogen. And "life as we know it wouldn’t exist without nitrogen," according to Karen Eich Drummond and Lisa Brefere, authors of Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals.

Protein is a multifaceted nutrient: it acts as a structural component of the body; it builds and maintains the body; it’s found in many enzymes and hormones and all antibodies; it transports fats, minerals and oxygen; it maintains fluid and acid balance and it provides energy.

And in our diet, meat, poultry and fish protein are some of the body’s best sources of iron. The iron in these foods, called heme iron, is better absorbed than the iron from plant sources of food.

For menu flexibility, poultry is a great low-fat source of protein. Compared to broiled ground beef, 3 oz. of roasted chicken breast has only 1.5 fat grams compared to beef’s 11 fat grams (see chart below).

And chicken, long the darling protein ingredient in healthful diets, is joined by other low-fat poultry forms—specifically turkey and duck—to help operators round out menu options, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. fm

RECIPE

Yield: 12 servings

16 oz. fully cooked Tyson

Oven Roasted

Julienne Natural

Proportion Chicken

Strips, frozen

1 Tbsp. ginger, pureed

1/4 cup water chestnuts,

finely chopped

1/4 cup carrots, minced

1/4 cup red bell pepper,

minced

1/4 cup zucchini, minced

1/2 cup rice stick noodles,

precooked

1/2 cup prepared Hoisin

sauce

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste, optional

Pepper to taste, optional

Minced garlic to taste, optional

12 5" square wonton

wrappers

1. For the filling: Preheat conventional oven to 350°F. Place chicken on a sheet pan and heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Or, heat in preheated convection oven at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Place in a bowl.

2. Add all other ingredients to chicken strips, mixing well until the deep rich color of sauce covers everything. Add salt, white pepper and minced garlic if desired.

3. To assemble: Preheat deep-fryer to 350°F. For each serving, place 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture across the center of 1 wonton wrapper. Fold left, right and bottom sides over the filling then roll it up. Seal edges with egg wash or water.

4. In preheated fryer, deep-fry wonton until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Cut in half and serve with your choice of dipping sauces.

Calories 130 (25% from fat); Fat 3g (sat. 1g); Protein 11g; Carbohydrates 14g; Chol. 35mg (cholesterol per day 12%); Sodium 360mg (sodium per day 15%); Fiber 1g (fiber per day 5%)

Photo and recipe from Tyson Food Service