ORANGE- CRUMBED BAKED CHICKEN WITH CORN CAKES

I'll be the first to admit that a plateful of brown food is not the most photogenic food shot, even with the token side of broccoli. But don't let that stop you from trying these two delicious low-calorie dishes.

If you're a regular reader, you know that dark meat rules in our cabin in the woods. Next to the stockpile of pork loins in my freezer are packages of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. As an aside, if you are a fan of this part of the chicken, learn from my experience and buy them in Shoprite as opposed to Price Chopper. Shoprite does a far better job of removing the fat than Price Chopper does.

Tonight's entree is low in fat and high in fiber. It's a way to have what's good about the taste of fried chicken without the fried part. The corn cake side dish is incredibly low calorie for a generous serving and is the perfect accompaniment to chicken. Rounded out with a tossed salad and some broccoli, it was a satisfyingly delicious Weight Watcher's dinner for a mere 7 points.

The recipe for the chicken is from WW's New Complete Cookbook.

Makes 4 servings - 3 WW points per serving
2 tbs orange juice (I had some navel oranges and juiced these)
2 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole wheat cracker crumbs (I used Kellogg's multi-grain crackers)
1 tbs grated orange zest
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 (3 oz) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, mustard, and salt. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cracker crumbs, orange zest, shallot, and pepper.

Brush both sides of the chicken with the mustard mixture, then dredge in the crumbs, pressing the crumbs to both sides so they adhere. (I like to refrigerate for a half hour before baking)

Place the chicken on the baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Turn over and bake another 15-20 minutes. You may want to do what I did and make a double batch.

The recipe for the corn cakes was suggested by one I found on the Weight Watchers' website, but I didn't have fresh corn so I substituted canned white corn. I didn't have any red pepper, so I just omitted it.

Makes 4 servings, 3 corn cakes per serving.

2 egg whites
1 egg yolk
1 can white corn
3 scallions, chopped
salt and pepper
2 tbs all purpose flour

Whip the egg whites until glossy, but not stiff.

Beat the egg yolk with a fork, then add to the corn. Mix in the scallions, salt, and pepper, then the flour.

Fold in the egg whites.

Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray over medium high heat. Using a 1/8 cup measure, measure out 6 corn cakes. Do NOT press down. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until bottom has browned. Turn over carefully and cook for 3-5 minutes on the other side, until browned.

The corn cakes may be held in a 200 degree oven until you are ready to serve them.

TASTE NOTES
I can guarantee that we'll be eating this meal at least bi-weekly. The sweetness of the orange juice combined with the slightly sweet Kellogg's wheat cracker crumbs worked beautifully with the Dijon mustard. This crust made the chicken thighs even moister than usual. The corn cakes, while not the same as my corn fritter recipe, were almost souffle-like. The scallions worked well with the corn to produce a tasty side dish.