25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (2024)

From Chicken Potpie to Chicken Cordon Bleu, our best healthy chicken recipes. Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

Watch Video

01of 25

Creamy Chicken Potpie

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (1)

An irresistible crisp (but easy) phyllo crust tops these homey individual chicken potpies. Make a double batch and freeze extras to have on hand anytime. Serve with a butterhead lettuce salad with red onion and white-wine vinaigrette.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

02of 25

Slow-Cooker Stout & Chicken Stew

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (2)

Chicken thighs can take plenty of cooking without getting tough or drying out, which makes them perfect for the slow cooker. Here we braise them in Guinness stout along with hearty vegetables, with just the right amount of bacon for added savoriness.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

03of 25

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (3)

The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, masking the more delicate flavors. Here it contains a bountiful amount of mushrooms and is served over chicken breasts.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

04of 25

Sicilian Olive Chicken

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (4)

This saucy one-skillet chicken dish is full of tomatoes, spinach, olives and capers. Try Kalamata olives in place of the green Sicilians or a combination of both. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a mixed green salad on the side.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

05of 25

Braised Paprika Chicken

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (5)

Sweet Hungarian paprika gives this creamy braised chicken the best flavor. This is a good "pantry dish" since you should have the basics on hand and only need to purchase the chicken. You may vary the recipe by using cubed veal shoulder instead of chicken and mushrooms instead of peppers. Serve with whole-wheat orzo flavored with minced parsley or dill.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

06of 25

Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (6)

Here's a fun way to serve oven-fried chicken for a picnic: put it on a stick. It's fabulous served with this homemade Vidalia onion and honey-mustard sauce, but it's also great with barbecue sauce or Frank's hot sauce. This is an easy recipe to double if you're serving a crowd.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

07of 25

Teriyaki Marinated Chicken

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (7)

Soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic and ginger combine in this teriyaki-inspired marinade for grilled chicken. Try it with pork chops if you prefer. Grill fresh pineapple slices and asparagus alongside for simple side dishes.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

08of 25

Chicken Waldorf Salad

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (8)

Leftover cooked chicken makes this chicken Waldorf salad, loaded with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, a snap to assemble. If you use rotisserie chicken, keep in mind that it's salty and omit the salt in the dressing. Serve over watercress, with a chunk of whole-grain baguette.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

09of 25

Roast Chicken & Fennel

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (9)

With Italian spices, some diced fennel and toasty pine nuts, you'll have a gorgeous supper in no time.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

10of 25

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (10)

Here's our weeknight version of choucroute garni, "dressed sauerkraut," made with chicken sausage. The flavor of the dish will vary depending on what type of chicken sausage you choose. We like the taste of roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage in this recipe. And although any type of sauerkraut can be used, we prefer the crisp texture of refrigerated kraut over canned. Serve with roasted carrots and some mustard to spread on the sausage.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

11of 25

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (11)

This ooey-gooey pasta dish is a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike--think rich and creamy macaroni-and-cheese tossed with cauliflower and chicken. Serve with a spinach salad.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

12of 25

Paprika-Herb Rubbed Chicken

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (12)

A simple combination of herbes de Provence, paprika, salt and pepper makes a flavorful rub for chicken, or try it with steak or tofu.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (13)

We took the classic flavors of Buffalo wings--hot sauce, blue cheese, carrots and celery--and created a finger-licking-good casserole. Serve this dish during football season to a hungry crowd and it's sure to be a hit. We don't typically recommend ingredients by brand name, but in this case we make an exception for Frank's RedHot Sauce. It has the perfect balance of spice and tang for this casserole. Texas Pete and Crystal hot sauces are suitable alternatives if you can't find Frank's.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

14of 25

Balsamic Marinated Chicken

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (14)

Sweet-tart balsamic vinegar spiked with garlic and Italian seasoning makes a fast and flavorful marinade for chicken. Serve with sliced tomatoes and grilled eggplant slices.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

15of 25

Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (15)

What is so obliging about this hearty chicken soup is that you can add any vegetables that suit your fancy: napa or Savoy cabbage, mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, broccolini, onions, leeks, mustard or turnip greens, celery or whatever tickles your bonnet. Just be sure that you don't overcook the vegetables. Spice it up with Asian-style chile sauce, such as sriracha, and/or serve the soup over noodles to make it a more substantial main dish.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

16of 25

BBQ Chicken Tenders

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (16)

These crispy chicken "wings," made with boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders, stay crispy with only a light coating of oil--no deep-frying needed. Serve as an appetizer or try them for dinner with crunchy vegetables and dip on the side.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

17of 25

Indian-Spiced Chicken Pitas

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (17)

Make a perfect summer supper: grill spice-rubbed chicken breasts and tuck them into whole-wheat pitas along with fresh vegetables and a tangy yogurt sauce. Serve with: Grilled vegetables and a pilsner.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

18of 25

Arroz con Pollo

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (18)

Arroz con pollo, or chicken cooked with rice, is a common dish in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean. We use quick-cooking brown rice here to help you get this on the table in just 40 minutes. Serve with a mixed green salad tossed with cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

19of 25

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (19)

This zesty Cajun-style pasta is full of lean chicken, peppers and onions. Serve with sautéed green beans.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

20of 25

Quick Chicken Tikka Masala

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (20)

One of the most popular Indian dishes in the U.S. and the U.K., chicken tikka masala usually involves several steps including marinating and grilling the chicken before simmering in a curried tomato cream sauce. We've simplified it to a one-skillet dish and lightened it by increasing the vegetables, omitting the butter and using less cream. Serve with brown basmati rice and, for dessert, dates.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

21of 25

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (21)

Crispy, Parmesan-flecked chicken tenders dipped in marinara sauce is an easy dinner the whole family will love. Dipping them in a mixture of plain yogurt with chopped fresh basil would be tasty too. Serve with sautéed green beans and roasted sweet potato wedges.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

22of 25

Baked Chicken with Onions & Leeks

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (22)

Baking pieces of chicken is one of the easiest ways to put a meal on the table for your family. This mustard-glazed chicken is roasted on a bed of sliced onions, leeks and garlic that you can serve alongside it.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

23of 25

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (23)

Tossing chicken tenders with cornmeal gives these chicken nuggets great crunch without deep-frying. Blackberries (or raspberries, if you prefer) combined with whole-grain mustard make for a sweet-and-savory dipping sauce. Serve with: Steamed broccoli and carrots.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video

24of 25

Quick Roast Chicken & Root Vegetables

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (24)

Roasted chicken in 45 minutes? No problem. This technique of starting bone-in chicken breasts on the stovetop and finishing them in a hot oven with vegetables gets a hearty dinner on the table in a hurry. While everything roasts, you still have time to make a quick pan sauce with shallot and Dijon mustard. Serve with a spinach salad.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!

25of 25

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

View Recipe

25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (25)

Spiked with lots of zesty lemon, this delectable chicken stir-fry has a colorful mix of snow peas, carrots and scallions. But feel free to substitute other thinly sliced vegetables, such as bell peppers or zucchini. Serve with: Rice noodles or brown rice.

  • Download a FREE Cookbook with Our Best Chicken Recipes!
  • Watch Video
25 Best Healthy Chicken Recipes (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.

What is the healthiest chicken to eat? ›

Hands down, the absolute tastiest and healthiest chicken is a pastured chicken. I can't emphasize enough the importance of selecting and buying chickens that are pastured and fed the natural diet chickens are supposed to eat.

Is it healthy to eat chicken breasts every day? ›

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern recommends the average person eat 26 ounces of poultry (including chicken) per week. Per day, this would be roughly the same as eating 3.5 ounces of chicken breast.

How to eat chicken for weight loss? ›

Generally speaking, skinless chicken breast is the leaner option and often the cut most widely suggested for weight loss. This is because dark meat like the thighs (as well as the wings and legs) is higher in fat than the breast. In a 100g serving of chicken breast, you'll get about 3.24g of fat [2].

How often should you eat chicken? ›

Try eating 3 or more servings of poultry each week. Do not fry chicken in shortening, as most shortening has unhealthy trans fats. If you like eating red meat like beef, pork or lamb, aim for no more than 2 servings per day.

What is the secret to cooking chicken? ›

Chicken breasts must be at room temperature before going in the pan as cold chicken can cook unevenly and tends to be tough. Allow the chicken breast to sit out for 20 minutes. That should do the trick.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggs? ›

Overall, shorter and lower-heat cooking methods cause less cholesterol oxidation and help retain most of the egg's nutrients. For this reason, poached and boiled (either hard or soft) eggs may be the healthiest to eat. These cooking methods also don't add any unnecessary calories.

What is the healthiest thing to fry chicken in? ›

Coconut Oil. Benefits: Coconut oil has high levels of lauric acid and healthy fats, making it a healthier option for deep frying than other oils.

Is Perdue chicken really all natural? ›

Our chickens are fed a 100% vegetarian diet of Certified USDA Organic grains with no animal by-products and no GMOs. They never receive antibiotics or growth hormones.

What is the healthiest chicken food? ›

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.

What is the most unhealthy meat to eat? ›

try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in salt, too. try to limit meat products in pastry, such as pies and sausage rolls, because they are often high in fat and salt.

Can I eat eggs every day? ›

Is it OK to eat eggs every day? Because of their numerous benefits, it's OK to eat one whole egg, including the egg yolk, every day if you don't have cardiovascular disease and you do have a healthy level of blood cholesterol. Or you can mix two egg whites with every egg yolk to give yourself more protein.

What is the healthiest meat to eat? ›

While meat can be a part of a healthy diet, not all sources are created equal. The leanest and healthiest meats to eat include poultry, pork, fish, and seafood.

Is rotisserie chicken good for weight loss? ›

Since rotisserie chicken is highly nutritious and a good source of protein, it can offer several health benefits. Here are some possible health benefits of rotisserie chicken. Promotes weight loss. Since protein takes longer to digest, it can increase fullness levels, making it easier to reach a caloric deficit.

What is the best rice for weight loss? ›

Eating whole grains like brown rice has been found to be really good for weight loss, with one study finding that people who regularly ate high-carbohydrate whole grains such as brown or coloured rice had a higher resting metabolism and didn't absorb as many calories during digestion [9].

Are potatoes good for weight loss? ›

Riley Kusuma, accredited practising dietitian at Bupa, agrees that potatoes are a great inclusion to a balanced and healthy diet, and can help you reach your weight loss goals. “Potatoes rate very highly on the satiety index, which means they keep you fuller and satisfied for longer after eating,” says Kusuma.

What is the healthiest way to eat chicken? ›

Choosing healthy, lower heat cooking methods, including poaching, steaming, boiling, or roasting at moderate temperatures, may help minimize these risks while preserving the chicken's nutritional value. National Library of Medicine. Daily fried chicken serving linked to 13% higher risk of death.

How many eggs per week? ›

It will also help to try and have vegetables and low fat cheese with your eggs rather than bacon or sausage. So, enjoy eggs in your weekly diet, but like everything in life, moderation is key. If you are in general good health, seven eggs per week should be fine.

Why put chicken in water before cooking? ›

This is a personal preference and serves no purpose for food safety. If you choose to do this, however, preventing cross-contamination when soaking and removing the poultry from the water is essential. Also, poultry must not be left outside the refrigerator for more than two hours.

How do chefs get chicken so tender? ›

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

How do you cook chicken without losing nutrients? ›

Some cooking methods are healthier than others because they don't affect chicken's protein and nutrient content. 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.

Is it healthier to cook chicken in a pan or oven? ›

The best way to cook chicken for the health benefits

When it comes to pan frying, the type of fat you use to grease the pan is important. A healthy oil, such as olive or coconut, is going to be a healthier choice than animal fat, like butter. However, the healthiest way to cook chicken is to bake it or boil it.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5799

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Birthday: 1996-12-09

Address: Apt. 141 1406 Mitch Summit, New Teganshire, UT 82655-0699

Phone: +2296092334654

Job: Technology Architect

Hobby: Snowboarding, Scouting, Foreign language learning, Dowsing, Baton twirling, Sculpting, Cabaret

Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.