Inflammation Fighting Cherry-yaki Chicken

Tart cherries fight inflammation throughout your body and reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. This baked chicken uses a cherry juice-based teriyaki sauce as a glaze for a barely-sweet, Oriental taste, with dried tart cherries added for punch.  

Makes four servings.

4 chicken leg quarters (thigh and leg)
 
Glaze:
4 T. cherry juice concentrate
1 T. tamari (soy sauce)
1 T. honey
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ginger powder
1 clove (1 tsp.) garlic, pressed or minced
¼ c. dried tart cherries
2 tsp. cornstarch

•    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and trim chicken legs as needed, and place in a large, shallow baking pan. 
•    In a bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients. 
•    Brush chicken with glaze. Cover pan with lid or foil. Bake for about 45 minutes.
•    Remove cover from chicken, brush again with glaze, and bake for additional 15 minutes, or until meat shows no signs of pinkness.
•    Remove chicken to a warming dish. To pan, add any left-over glaze. Heat on stovetop. Add cornstarch a bit at a time, whisking gently to thicken the sauce.
•    To serve, place chicken on bed of wild rice, spoon over sauce.
 
Nutritional Information per Serving: 260 calories, 28.5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 6.5 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 72 mg cholesterol, 1.2 g fiber, 582 mg sodium.

with 3/4 c. brown and wild rice and 1 T. almonds: 474 calories, 34.6 g protein, 55 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat (1.9 g saturated), 72 mg cholesterol, 4.9 g fiber, 609 mg sodium.