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

FAQs

What is the healthiest thing to cook chicken with? ›

Poached Chicken

Poaching is great because it adds virtually no fat to your food, yet yields subtle flavour and moisture. To poach your chicken, add your ingredients (chicken and any other vegetables, aromatics, and spices you like) to a skillet or pot, and add a cooking liquid such as broth, wine, or coconut milk.

Watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries make healthy snacks for chickens when fed in moderation. A few flock favorites include: Vegetables: Lettuce, beets, broccoli, carrots, kale, swiss chard, squash, pumpkins and cucumbers. Herbs: Lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, cilantro, thyme and basil.

Also, consider stir-frying or pan-frying your chicken instead of frying it in high-fat oil. That will give you proteins without increasing fats in your diet. Use low-fat marinades to keep the chicken moist and tender while it is cooking and add healthy flavor to your dish.

Enjoy oven-roasted chicken with whole grains and leafy greens, or a hearty chicken pasta that's loaded with veggies. No matter what you choose, you'll land on a flavorful meal made with no more than 4 grams of saturated fat and at least 6 grams of fiber per serving.

Chicken is a healthy food (as long as it's poached, baked or grilled), but that doesn't mean you should eat it every single day. As both dietitians have explained, eating a wide variety of foods is the best way to give your body the nutrients it needs.

The chicken breast is lean and has the most protein by weight, making it ideal for people who want to lose weight, maintain muscle mass and improve recovery. Fattier cuts like the thigh, drumstick and wings have more calories, which make them better for people wanting to build muscle or gain weight.

Almonds are a great source of protein for laying hens. However, you will want to feed this snack in moderation since too many almonds can cause digestive problems for your girls. Almond butter is a fantastic way to provide a healthy snack that can be spread on apples or even a chicken piñata for added enrichment!

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.

Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.

Is rotisserie chicken bad for cholesterol? ›

The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 13g of saturated fat per day—meaning a small serving of rotisserie chicken contains about 23% of your recommended daily intake. Eating saturated fat is shown to increase LDL cholesterol, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease.

Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits.

These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.

But there's a healthier, equally delicious way to eat comfort food like fried chicken. And it's all thanks to your oven. By cooking chicken in the oven, you'll use little oil, which will minimize heart health risks. Aside from being healthier for your heart, this chicken is also high in protein (8 g per serving).

Is pan seared chicken healthy? Pan seared chicken breast is a healthy dinner idea because it's high protein and low in carbohydrates.

Grilling, roasting, baking, broiling, steaming, press cooking and slow cooking are some of the healthiest ways to cook meat. And yes, you should avoid deep-frying it. “Avoid marinades and sauces that are high in sugar and sodium,” she adds.