need to add chicken flavor without chicken broth

Belle_Fille
Belle_Fille Posts: 469
edited September 23 in Recipes
i went way over on my sodium at lunch. Lesson learned.
Now im trying to still stay under my daily goal. i have like 300 left. were having chicken and rice with broccoli. ive entered in all the ingredients and it comes to a total of 52 of sodium The only ingredient left is chicken broth or cream of chicken to give the rice some flavor. but both of those put me over my daily total.

were snowed in and cant run to the store so i have to work with what i have here. so i dont think i can make my own chicken broth.
any other ideas? am i just screwed?

any suggestions are appreciated. as long as it will taste good

Replies

  • Cbandelier
    Cbandelier Posts: 217 Member
    How are you planning to make the chicken? If you are using actual pieces with bones, you can boil them (whole or just the bones), pick off the chicken to eat, strain the rest, then use your "chicken water" to boil the rice in. Add in some onion, carrot, garlic, etc. when you boil the chicken.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
    If you have rosemary, that's the perfect herb for flavoring chicken.
  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
    I love crushed dried thyme and lemon juice in my rice. Add the thyme as the rice is boiling, and add the lemon juice (hope you have some!) after it's cooked. A little zest at the end would take it over the top. I'm guessing you could substitute orange juice/zest if you don't have lemons, but I've never tried that.

    Oooh -- you could cut a garlic clove in half and let it boil with the rice, then fish it out before you serve!

    And I love, love, love black pepper! Sometimes I go overboard and it gets a wee bit too spicy. =D
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
    I really don't know how you could do it except to add chicken boullion which is HUGE in the sodium world!!! I can't think of any way to make it tast like chicken other than biting the sodium bullet. :ohwell:
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    Is it just the sodium that will be over for the day? If so and you don't have any other options...use what you have and drink extra water. As long as this doesn't totally tank your calorie intake for the day a little extra sodium can be counteracted with some additional water to flush out your system.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
    Is there actual chicken pieces in it? If so, then you probably don't even need broth or anything. i'd just add water and some garlic powder, onion powder and herbs.
  • KirstayE
    KirstayE Posts: 7
    Do you have any vegetable broth? I'm not sure what the sodium content would be (might still be high?), and its deff not gonna make it taste like chicken, but it would add some flavor.

    Other than that my only suggestion is to season the rice the same way you would season chicken (or did season the chicken you are having if you did). Again, won't taste like chicken, but would add flavor.
  • monkeydharma
    monkeydharma Posts: 599 Member
    I'd go ahead and use the chicken broth. Going over a bit on sodium intake for one day isn't going to kill you (I hope) - especially if you're snowed in. Go a little lower than usual tomorrow and it'll average out.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    In the future, look for low-sodium chicken broth. It's quite reasonable with sodium and not any more expensive (at least for some brands) than the regular broth.
  • kksn
    kksn Posts: 122 Member
    I always buy unsalted chicken broth/stock... and when I can't or don't have that, I severely dilute the stock I have on hand (somewhere between 1/2 to 1/4 of what the recipe calls for of stock and the rest I replace with water). You still get the chicken flavor (less of it, though) without so much of the salt. The problem with bouillon and stocks and broths that you buy is that their flavor almost entirely comes from the high salt content... the only thing I could suggest otherwise is to find some good dried spices/herbs to season the rice (I love fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro), or to add something like sour cream or plain yogurt to the cooked rice to make it a bit creamier. Let me know what you try and how it turns out - I often have this same problem and am always looking for new ideas. Good luck! :smile:
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
    I love crushed dried thyme and lemon juice in my rice. Add the thyme as the rice is boiling, and add the lemon juice (hope you have some!) after it's cooked.

    Love this! I am gonna try it tonight!
  • dhutt2011
    dhutt2011 Posts: 77 Member
    Is it just the sodium that will be over for the day? If so and you don't have any other options...use what you have and drink extra water. As long as this doesn't totally tank your calorie intake for the day a little extra sodium can be counteracted with some additional water to flush out your system.
    I agree, if it puts you way over to an unhealthy level try using half as much of either broth or cream of chicken and replace the other half with water or low fat sour cream?
  • Belle_Fille
    Belle_Fille Posts: 469
    The way i cook it is boil my chicken (thighs, on the bone) then peal/shred it from the bone i put my rice, water, spices,, veggies, etc in a baking dish, add the chicken, then bake it until the rice is done.

    so after i boil the chicken, i should use that water for the rice?
  • vero_1
    vero_1 Posts: 85 Member
    I don't know how you are with fat... I add a little olive oil (1/2 tsp to 1 tsp) or butter (no more than 1/2 Tbsp), some finelly choped onions (if you saute them in the oil or butter it's tastier) and black pepper and pinch of oregano to the rice while it is cooking.
  • LeslieRoyale
    LeslieRoyale Posts: 331 Member
    The way i cook it is boil my chicken (thighs, on the bone) then peal/shred it from the bone i put my rice, water, spices,, veggies, etc in a baking dish, add the chicken, then bake it until the rice is done.

    so after i boil the chicken, i should use that water for the rice?

    YES! Use that water!! It'll give the rice a nice flavor!! Just make sure you skim the yuckies off first :happy:
  • Amajoy
    Amajoy Posts: 140 Member
    What is the broth for? Rice or Chicken? Either way I would just go with water and maybe add a little extra seasoning that your recipe doesnt call for.
  • Cbandelier
    Cbandelier Posts: 217 Member
    The way i cook it is boil my chicken (thighs, on the bone) then peal/shred it from the bone i put my rice, water, spices,, veggies, etc in a baking dish, add the chicken, then bake it until the rice is done.

    so after i boil the chicken, i should use that water for the rice?

    YES! Use that water!! It'll give the rice a nice flavor!! Just make sure you skim the yuckies off first :happy:

    What she said! :)
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