Pizza - fied Chicken

I know it's hard to stay on the straight and narrow when trying to eat healthy. I am generally one that believes none of these count when dieting: eating standing over the sink, anything taken from other people's plates, and anything you eat when noone is watching. My conscious reminds me that they all indeed count, but unfortunately, it is almost always too late. I have already indulged in something that is a no-no. One of the hardest things to avoid when watching your waistline is pizza. Its so hard to say no to because it's pretty much on everyones list of favorite foods and because it is so easy to just pick up a $5 Hot-n-Ready on your way home.

Believe it or not, I have found a recipe that will give you the pizza fix we all need without making you feel guilty.This recipe comes from Hungry Girl, Lisa Lillien. Her cookbook and website have both been a regular go-to for me. She has recently expanded and has a show on Food Network. She knows how to take foods that we all know and love and turn them into something healthy we can love just as much. This particular recipe is for Pizza-fied Chicken. Trust me...this is delish!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pizza-fied-chicken-recipe/index.html
http://www.hungry-girl.com/show/you-wanna-pizza-me-pizza-fied-chicken-recipe

You will need:

5oz. Chicken Breast
1/4 Cup Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped (I omitted because I think we all know how I feel about onions)
1/4 Cup Sliced Mushrooms (I used canned this time, but recommend fresh)
1/4  Cup Crushed Tomatoes
4 Turkey Pepperoni, chopped (these are just as good as the original, just less greasy)
Low-Fat String Cheese
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

**NOTE: The quantities of these ingredients is to top one chicken breast. Adjust quantites accordingly. I didn't realize this at first and used this for all 3 chicken breasts, and it was still plenty. Just use your discretion.

Pound out your chicken breast to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Season the tomatoes with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Now, the original recipe says to use 2 nonstick skillets. One to cook the veggies and one to cook the chicken. It's totally up to you how many dishes you want to dirty. If you opt to just use one, cook the veggies until soft and set aside, Then cook the chicken.

Spray the skillet and cook chicken over med-high heat until cooked through. About 3-4 minutes on each side. When the chicken is done, spoon the tomato sauce on top of the chicken.

Tear or cut the string cheese into small pieces and add to the chicken.

Top with veggie mixture and pepperoni.

Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top with parmesan cheese (and crushed red pepper if you are feeling frisky) and enjoy!

I thought this was awesome! The chicken was tender and the topping was truly a pizza party in my mouth. I think this is definitely worth a try. You'll be surprised how yummy this is, and you can add any pizza toppings you like (i.e.sliced black/green olives, pepperoncini, etc. ) to make it your own. Give it a try, and let us know what you think.

Anna