Teriyaki Grilled Chicken

March 12, 2013: Throughout the years, I've been a generally healthy person. I eat well, exercise, take care of myself. The only real health problems that I had growing up were chronic sinus infections. In February of 2012, I had sinus surgery to help alleviate these infections, so I thought I was off scot-free. Well, as it turns out, 2012-2013 was not my time to be sick-free.

Pedialyte is my go-to when I'm sick

When I had my surgery, I knew it would be tough, but I had no idea what I was in for. I had a total of nine surgeries, including (but not limited to) a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, septoplasty, and turbinate reduction. I woke up feeling like my throat had turned to sandpaper and didn't stop feeling like that for the next two months. The first two weeks were the worst. The rumors about constant ice cream eating are lies- all lies. I couldn't even swallow my own spit! My diet consisted of just water for the whole first week.

Andy pushed the couches together for me for a giant pallet after my sinus/throat surgeries

Oh, and I formed a blood clot in my throat that later burst.  I woke up one night coughing, and it tasted like I'd swallowed a handful of pennies. I ran to the bathroom to see I was coughing up blood. I frantically screamed for Andy, who woke to what looked like a murder scene in our bathroom. I filled up the whole sink with blood- gallons of it- and had moved on to a mixing bowl. (Don't worry, I threw it out the next day). I told Andy I thought I needed to go to the ER, and my sweet boyfriend said, "No! You'll get blood in my truck!!" Well, I convinced him we could take my car, and Andy took me to the emergency room at 1am that night.  After a series of fainting episodes and blacking out, the ER doc told me I was "right above the cut off line for a blood transfusion." I was severely dehydrated, too, so they poked and pricked me some more to revive my pathetic self. 

The beautiful flowers Andy's family sent me after my sinus/throat surgeries

After those seven days, I was finally able to choke down Boost shakes and Pedialyte. Good thing, too, seeing as I ended up losing a grand total of 16 pounds. Don't worry- I gained it all back as soon I started eating solid food again. Then, in January 2013, I caught the flu. The full-out, high fever, body aches, chills and sweating flu. I called into work that day for the first time in over two years. Since I'd had the flu shot and quickly started taking Tamiflu, my bout didn't last too long.

To make the 365 days complete, I got a stomach bug in March. I was at work, and my stomach was rumbling and gurgling. After profusely getting sick at work, I knew I was done for.  Let's just say that I was lucky I have great managers who sent a sick girl home.

Beautiful flowers from my dad after my sinus/throat surgeries

So what does all this have to do with Teriyaki Chicken? After my stomach bug, my friends wanted to go get sushi. Sushi was at the bottom of my "easy on my stomach, light food" list, so I opted for some basic Teriyaki Chicken at Sushi Q. After eating it, I decided that I was certain I, too, could somehow make this basic dish. So I found this recipe on my Pinterest page and whipped it up for Andy and me. It was super easy, and super yummy. Definitely a do-again'er, hopefully not after having been sick.

Teriyaki Grilled Chicken
Modified from www.askchefs.net
Servings: 2; Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 6

Teriyaki Grilled Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 c teriyaki sauce (I use low-sodium)
• 1/4c lime juice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp peanut oil

1. Thoroughly mix the sauce, lime juice, garlic, and oil in a bowl
2. Pour this marinade into a freezer bag
3. Add chicken
4. Shake the chicken around, fully coating it in marinade
5. Marinade chicken 30min+, overnight if desired
6. Turn bag/chicken every so often
7. Heat grill to high heat
8. Grill chicken 6-8 min on each side or until thoroughly cooked (no pink)
9. At the end, cut the chicken down the middle and sprinkle on a bit of extra teriyaki sauce to saturate the chicken through and through

Keep on cookin'!
-Katherine

Side note: I came up with a new strategy to reduce dishes and increase efficiency. I found a bowl that fit with a large freezer bag inside of it, turned down. Then I added all of my ingredients in the bag. I mixed them with a spoon, so they could be mixed thoroughly.

Last, I added my chicken breasts. I simply lifted the edges of the baggie up, squished out the air, and zipped it closed. Then I just stuck the whole bag of chicken in the marinade in the fridge to marinate overnight! No mess to clean up- easy as pie! Well, easier, actually.