Quick and healthy

When most people think of quick and healthy chicken dishes, they think of boneless, skinless breasts.

While that’s a good choice, you shouldn’t overlook boneless, skinless thighs, which are flavorful, economical and cook quickly.

True, the thighs are fattier than the breasts – about 7 grams per 3-ounce cooked portion. But that fat brings extra flavor and moisture breasts can lack, considerably more iron and twice the zinc.

That extra fat also means a dish is harder to mess up, even with fast, high-heat cooking. Unlike with chicken breasts, it’s difficult to end up with a flavorless, overcooked, dry chicken thigh.

This recipe for Mediterranean-style chicken thighs combines flash browning over high heat with a quick, low-heat braise.

The prep is minimal. Besides the chicken thighs, the recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes, chopped garlic (used jarred to save time) and capers. Orange juice adds extra liquid to the sauce and has a natural affinity to the tart tomato.

After browning the thighs, you simply dump all the other ingredients into the skillet and cover it. As the dish simmers, all the flavors meld and the sauce almost makes itself.

To make this a meal, serve with a mixed green salad and some orzo or crusty bread to soak up all the delicious sauce.

Quick Mediterranean Chicken Thighs

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil

14 1/2-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, with juice

1/4 cup orange juice

5 teaspoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons capers, rinsed

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Add the tomatoes, orange juice, garlic and capers. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 8 minutes.

Uncover the pan and continue cooking, turning the thighs once, until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 265 calories, 14 grams fat (3 grams saturated, 47 percent fat calories), 28 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 99 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 620 milligrams sodium.