People magazine’s Sexiest Doctor Alive is quick to admit he’s no chef, but Doctor Mike is testing out his cooking skills on YouTube to get you to pay attention to what you eat every day. The Russian-born, New Jersey-based physician, aka Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, tells his 2.9 million Instagram followers to monitor what they eat and watch their nutrition. That’s the best approach to controlling your health, he says, and taking charge means creating your own meals.
“When you’re ordering food all the time you have no control over what ingredients are used, and that’s why cooking at home can be your best option,” according to Doctor Mike. He’s teamed up with Blue Apron to show why meal subscription services are growing in popularity. They “lay it all out for you and make it easy to create meals from your own kitchen,” says Doctor Mike.
You can watch the Instagram star whip up a meal from the Blue Apron box while extolling the virtue of colorful vegetables. Radishes are chock full of vitamins A, E, C, B6 and fiber! Tomatoes deliver lycopene, which is a really important antioxidant! But be careful with that hot cast iron skillet, Doctor Mike! Okay, he’s no Gordon Ramsay, but who would you rather have cook for you?
Watch the YouTube video: Cooking with Doctor Mike! Healthy Chicken Recipe
Follow along with @doctor.mike at home with the Blue Apron recipe for Tahini Chicken with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Snow Pea-Tomato Salad.
Prep Time: 40 minutes, Servings: 2, Nutrition: 640 calories
Ingredients
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
¾ lb Golden Potatoes
4 oz Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
4 oz Snow Peas
3 oz Radishes
1 clove Garlic
2 Tbsps. Tahini
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
Directions
Cook and smash the potatoes:
Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Large dice the potatoes. Once the pot of water is boiling, add the diced potatoes; cook 11 to 13 minutes, or until slightly tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the water boiling, using a slotted spoon or strainer, drain the cooked potatoes. Transfer to a cutting board. Using the flat side of your knife, carefully smash each potato piece once to flatten.
Prepare the ingredients and make the dressing:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. While the potatoes cook, halve the peas crosswise. Halve the tomatoes; place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cut off and discard the ends of the radishes; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and finely chop the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste (or use a zester).
In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, tahini, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of water, and as much of the garlic paste as you’d like; season with salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Transfer half the dressing to a small bowl and set aside for serving.
Blanch and shock the peas:
Fill a medium bowl with ice water and a pinch of salt; set aside. Add the halved peas to the pot of boiling water; cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until bright green. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, immediately transfer to the bowl of ice water and let stand until completely cool. Drain thoroughly; pat dry with paper towels.
Cook the chicken:
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken; cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Crisp the potatoes:
In the same pan (or a large nonstick pan), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a piece of potato sizzles immediately when added, add the smashed potatoes in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper and top with the cheese.
Make the salad and serve your dish:
While the potatoes crisp, to the large bowl of remaining dressing, add the shocked peas, seasoned tomatoes, and sliced radishes. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Served the cooked chicken with the crisped potatoes and salad on the side. Top with the reserved dressing. Enjoy!
