Like many people, my new years resolution is to eat healthier and exercise more.  I was delighted when I had the opportunity to sample the new line of Chef’s Pick dishes from the Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection.  In the past I have sampled other boxed frozen meals just be disappointed by the lack of flavor and many times left me hungry for something else afterwards.

Lean Cuisine

When I was browsing the Lean Cuisine Chef’s Pick options at my supermarket, they had so many great sounding dishes that it was hard to decide what to try first.  I opted for the orange chicken and the ranchero braised beef.

Chef's Pick Chicken

First, I sampled the orange chicken; tender chicken pieces in a sweet and spicy Asian-style sauce with a side of white rice mixed with roasted almonds, bell peppers and edamame.  The chicken had the perfect balance of sweet and spicy to create a pleasantly vibrant flavor.  The rice had a great texture and all the ingredients tasted fresh.  Overall I felt the portion size was perfect and the flavors tasted just as good as home made.

Chef's Pick Beef

I love the flavor of slow braised beef, so I was excited to try the ranchero braised beef.  This dish combines braised beef in a spicy red chile sauce with a side of chipotle mashed sweet potatoes.  The beef was fork-tender and the rich chile sauce had a nice kick to it.  The mashed sweet potatoes were nice and creamy with a subtle chipotle flavor.  It was the perfect balance to the spicy beef.

Both of these dishes were very satisfying and would be a filling lunch or dinner option for me. With only 310 calories in the orange chicken and 240 calories in the braised beef, having these meals twice a day would be a sure way to keep my calorie consumption under control. I look forward to trying some of the other Lean Cuisine Chef’s Pick dishes very soon.  The chile lime chicken and spinach artichoke ravioli are next on my list.  I’d like to see some Chef’s Pick dessert options in the future.



I have partnered with Lean Cuisine through DailyBuzz Food to help promote their new line of Chef’s Pick products. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Thank you Lean Cuisine!