Toss chicken strips in cumin and add chipotle peppers and their sauce to vinaigrette for a quick, Southwestern salad dinner. Toasted baguette with Parmesan cheese complements this unconventional chicken and three bean salad.

Look for chipotles in adobo in the Latin section of most supermarkets or substitute 2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning (found on the spice aisle).

This meal contains 536 calories per serving with 15 percent of calories from fat.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Buy trimmed green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces.

• Use same bowl for microwaving green beans and making the salad.

COUNTDOWN

• Toast baguette.

• Make salad.

SHOPPING LIST

To buy: 1 small piece Parmesan; 3/4 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken strips; 1 whole wheat baguette; 1 small can each chickpeas and kidney beans; 1 bottle dried cumin; 1 can or jar chipotles in adobo; 1/4 pound trimmed green beans.

Staples: Reduced-fat vinaigrette, salt, black peppercorns.

Linda Gassenheimer's latest book is The Portion Plan: How to Eat the Foods You Love and Still Lose Weight. Her website is dinnerinminutes.com.

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