13 Healthy Chicken Recipes That'll Make Dinner A Breeze (2024)

FAQs

What's the healthiest way to cook a chicken breast? ›

Stir-frying is one of the healthiest ways to cook chicken. Stir-fried lean, skinless chicken breast has the lowest fat content and is a great source of a vitamin called niacin. It has high levels of unsaturated (generally good) fats and the lowest levels of saturated (generally bad) fats.

Steaming

Steam helps the chicken retain tenderness, moisture, and flavor. Steamed chicken is also relatively low in calories since it requires no additional fat. How to steam chicken: Use chicken pieces or cut large pieces of chicken into smaller pieces so that it will cook evenly.

Poach the chicken

Her suggestion: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer, cover with a few inches of liquid (water, broth, etc.), add flavorings (spices, salt, herbs, soy sauce, etc.), then bring the liquid just barely to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers.

A rotisserie chicken is better than some of the other alternatives. Even with additives, a rotisserie chicken is a far healthier choice than a fast food run, says Allers. “It's still lower in fat and calories than fast food. It's serving its purpose – it's fast, but it can still help you create a balanced meal.

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

If your main aim is weight loss, then the best type of chicken you can opt for is- skinless, boneless chicken breast. Do you know that 3-ounce serving of skinless, boneless chicken breast provides just 140 calories, a whopping 26 grams of protein, and just 3 grams of fat?

Shrimp. Shrimp lovers, get stoked. A 5-ounce serving of shrimp blows chicken out of the water with 31 grams of protein.

What is a good protein substitute for meat? ›

Whole soy foods, such as edamame, tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy nuts, are great sources of lean protein.

Chicken meat replacements that are whole foods based tend to showcase ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, chickpeas, cauliflower, tempeh or home-made seitan (a mildly flavoured, high protein meat alternative made of gluten, the protein strand from wheat flour).

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

Pros of Baked Chicken

Baked chicken is also a healthy method of preparation because you can choose to forego any oils before you bake it. Many people remove the skin of chicken breasts before baking, making it a low-fat and high-protein choice for meals.

What Is The Best Way To Cook A Chicken Breast? Cooking a boneless and skinless chicken breast in a hot cast iron pan is by far the easiest and most tasty way to cook the breast. You are far less likely to overcook the chicken breast compared to baking it in the oven or poaching it in water.

While both baking and pan frying can give you tasty, juicy chicken, if you are in a hurry, it is better to pan fry it. Because baked chicken breast is easy to dry out, it needs time to brine or marinade before you cook it.

Oven fried chicken is healthier than deep fried chicken because it is cooked in the oven and not in oil. The chicken is cooked at a lower temperature than it would be if it were fried in oil.