10 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes to Make for Dinner
If you try to eat on the healthy side, then we're sure you have a package of boneless, skinless [...]
Chicken Fried Rice
Chinese takeout may be a preferred weekly meal for your family, but this lightened-up version of chicken fried rice could easily replace that high-calorie, -fat and -sodium to-go order.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: Heaping 1 cup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (8.8-ounce) pouch Uncle Ben's® Ready Rice® brown rice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots mix
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
Instructions
- In a wok or a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir constantly using a wooden spoon or spatula for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Increase the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning and moving the chicken constantly while cooking. Scrape the chicken and garlic onto a plate and set aside.
- Microwave the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the pan. Once hot, add the onion, peas and carrots, and half of the green onions and stir-fry, constantly moving the mixture until the onions and carrots soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to the outer edges of the wok or skillet to open up the center. Crack the eggs into the pan and scramble. When the eggs are cooked through, combine with the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the reserved chicken, cooked brown rice, soy sauce, and oyster sauce to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
- Serve garnished with the remaining green onions.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving (Heaping 1 cup), Calories: 290, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 37g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Protein: 23g
Low-Calorie Buffalo Chicken Soup
For a quick and easy weekday dinner, try this Low-Calorie Buffalo Chicken Soup! We used cauliflower to create a creamy, thick and filling base complemented perfectly by the buffalo sauce. This soup is also an easy way to use up the extra rotisserie chicken you have from the grocery store. Best of all, it's low in calories, fat and carbs, so you won't feel bad about indulging in buffalo.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1½ cups
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium whole carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 head cauliflower, cored and chopped
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 8 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- ½ cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 pound raw boneless, skinless breast)
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil shimmers, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the carrots soften, 5 to 7 minutes, then set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring the cauliflower and chicken broth to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook until the cauliflower is very soft, 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the cooked cauliflower and broth to a high-speed blender and blend to a smooth puree (Or puree it right in the pot with an immersion blender.).
- If blended in a blender, carefully pour the puree back into the pot, and return the burner to medium-high heat.
- Add in the set-aside cooked vegetables and 2 cups of water.
- Stir in the cream cheese, hot sauce, and ¼ cup of the blue cheese crumbles and stir until the cheese is smooth and incorporated.
- Add in ⅔ of the cooked chicken, and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes to heat through.
- Serve each bowl of soup garnished evenly with the remaining ⅓ of the chicken and ¼ cup of blue cheese on top. Drizzle with additional hot sauce as desired.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1½ cups), Calories: 255, Calories from fat: 123, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 890mg, Carbohydrates: 11g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 24g
Feta-Stuffed Chicken
Trying to impress the in-laws this weekend? Whip up this seemingly fancy dish — it's not hard, we promise. Think of the ooey gooey mixture of spinach, garlic, basil and Feta cheese seeping through the chicken breast. Is your mouth watering yet? At only 208 calories per chicken breast, this recipe will surely be a keeper.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 breast
Ingredients
- 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 pound)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅓ cup reduced-fat Feta cheese crumbles
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8 toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Lightly spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag or in between wax paper. Using a rolling pin or a meat mallet, pound chicken to about ¼-inch thick.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper, then reserve on a plate.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the spinach, garlic, and basil. Cook until spinach is heated through, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the Feta cheese.
- Evenly distribute spinach mixture onto each chicken breast.
- Roll the breasts up and secure the ends together with 2 toothpicks. Place the chicken in the casserole dish, seam-side down.
- Heat the same saucepan over medium-low heat and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter, and the remaining seasonings. Cook until the butter has melted and sauce has warmed through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drizzle ½ cup of sauce over chicken and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 ℉.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1 breast), Calories: 208, Calories from fat: 73, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 694mg, Carbohydrates: 4g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar 0g, Protein: 27g
Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Cordon Bleu has never been so easy — or healthy! Our delicious recipe ditches the butter, flour and heavy whipping cream found in other recipes for a super skinny main course: One chicken breast is only 326 calories. And seeing that each chicken breast is stuffed with low-sodium ham and ultra thin sliced Swiss cheese, you're definitely getting the biggest bang for your buck. Next time you need to impress the in-laws, this easy dish will be your go-to!
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 chicken breast
Ingredients
- Four 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 slices ultra thin sliced Swiss cheese
- 8 slices low sodium ham
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 egg + 2 egg whites, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F, and spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- To stuff the chicken, slice along the long side of the breast, but do not cut all the way through. It will open up like a book.
- Place 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices ham in each breast, and fold the breast back over on itself to close it.
- Pour the beaten eggs in a shallow dish or bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the Panko, black pepper, garlic pepper and onion powder together.
- Dip the stuffed chicken breasts into the egg wash, then into the Panko mixture, and press the crumbs gently to adhere to all sides of the chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts into the prepared casserole dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving (1 chicken breast): Calories: 326, Calories from fat: 96, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 787mg, Carbohydrates: 14g, Fiber: 0g, Sugar 3g, Protein: 44g
Spicy Baked Sriracha Chicken
Who's ready for takeout? This low calorie, protein-packed meal feels just like Chinese takeout, but without all the sodium, fat and extra calories. The crispy, panko-breaded chicken soaks up the sweet and spicy sauce for a tender, juicy chicken nugget. When you're feeling really brave, go ahead and amp up the sriracha or use red pepper flakes for an even spicier recipe.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: ½ cup chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 35 pieces)
- 2 egg whites, whisked
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs + 2 tablespoons
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup sugar-free maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F and grease a cooling rack that fits in the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. (This will help the baked nuggets be crispy.)
- Whisk the egg whites in one small mixing bowl, and the panko, salt, and black pepper in a second mixing bowl.
- Dunk the chicken pieces in the egg whites and let the excess drip off. Next, dredge the chicken pieces in the panko, coating all sides.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the chicken is golden and done, 16-18 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce by heating the syrup, sriracha and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry, and set aside. Bring the sauce to a low boil, and then stir the slurry into the sauce. Allow it to come back up to a low boil for 1 minute until thickened.
- When the chicken is cooked, toss it into the sauce and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving (½ cup chicken): Calories: 124, Calories from fat: 15, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 362mg, Carbohydrates: 11g, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g, Protein: 18g
Southwestern Hasselback Chicken
Move over Hasselback potatoes! Southwest Hasselback Chicken is a fun way to switch up a boring skinless chicken breast. And at only 210 calories per chicken breast, you won't even feel guilty indulging. The slits in the chicken breasts ensure that the toppings stay in place, fitting into the grooves to keep the chicken juicy and flavorful. Add jalapeños instead of green chilies if you want to amp up the heat factor. Either way, you'll feel great serving a healthy Hasselback Chicken recipe to your family.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 chicken breast
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ red bell pepper, julienned
- ½ yellow bell pepper, julienned
- ½ small yellow onion, julienned
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilis
- 4 (4-ounce) chicken breasts
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (2 tablespoons per chicken breast)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, garlic, bell peppers, and onions, cooking until they are very soft, 8-10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the green chilis with their juice, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then remove the skillet from the heat.
- While the skillet is cooling, prepare the chicken to be stuffed. Make 4-6 diagonal slits in each chicken breast, being careful to not slice all the way through.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and fill each slit evenly with the vegetable mixture.
- Season the tops of the stuffed chicken with cumin and chili powder, and top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of cheese.
- Bake until done, 20-22 minutes.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then garnish each chicken breast with optional sour cream and cilantro as desired, and serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over the chicken.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1 chicken breast), Calories: 210, Calories from fat: 67, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 491mg, Carbohydrates: 9g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 28g
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders with Celery Slaw
These Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders are the perfect addition to your game-day party. Bite-size and adorable, your guests will devour them at 150 calories a piece. The celery slaw adds the perfect crunch to the juicy and flavorful Buffalo chicken, while the blue cheese and ranch are the the perfect cool-down combo to accompany the hot wing sauce. If you have any leftovers (chances are you won't!), pack them for lunch the next day either on extra slider buns, or even in a whole-wheat pita. If the slaw is all gone, just cut up some carrot or celery sticks to dip in ranch.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4-6 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on high
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: 2 sliders
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 ounces buffalo wing sauce (i used franks)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 16 whole wheat slider buns
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
- ½ of a 10-ounce bag classic coleslaw mix (with carrots)
- 2 celery ribs, sliced thinly on the bias
- ¼ cup ranch yogurt dressing
Instructions
- To make the chicken: Place the chicken in the slow cooker and pour the wing sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder over it.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hour or on low for 6-8 hours. When cooked, shred the chicken. The chicken will be so tender you can easily shred it with a pair of tongs, or two forks in the slow cooker. If you choose to take it out to shred, just add it back into the slow cooker for 15 minutes to soak up the rest of the sauce.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the Celery Slaw by mixing the coleslaw, celery, and dressing together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- When ready to serve, place ¼ cup of the chicken, 2 tablespoons of coleslaw, and 1 teaspoon blue cheese on each bun. Each person gets 2 sliders.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (2 sliders), Calories: 300, Calories from fat: 54, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 2292mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Protein: 25g
One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Pasta
If your family can't get enough buffalo chicken, they'll love this buffalo chicken pasta dish! Even better, you'll only dirty one pot while cooking this simple dish, so cleanup will be a breeze. AND it's low calorie and low fat. What more could you need?
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch dressing and seasoning mix
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
- 8 ounces whole grain penne noodles, dry
- 1 (8-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese
- ¼ cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the oil and chicken, cooking for 2-4 minutes, browning all sides.
- Sprinkle the ranch packet over the chicken, stirring together to coat, then add the chicken broth, water, buffalo sauce, and penne to the skillet.
- Cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer, cooking until the penne is done and the sauce has thickened slightly, 16-18 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into cubes. When the penne is done, stir in the cream cheese until fully melted.
- Garnish each serving with reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1½ cups), Calories: 333, Calories from fat: 55, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 870mg, Carbohydrates: 31g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 42g
4-Ingredient BBQ Ranch Baked Chicken
This 4-ingredient BBQ Ranch Baked Chicken is a simple, quick and easy dinner! You'll barely dirty any dishes at all while creating a flavor-packed meal the entire family will love. Serve it with corn on the cob like we did, or steam some veggies for a healthy side.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 chicken breast
Ingredients
- 1 (1-ounce) ranch dressing and seasoning packet
- 4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup reduced-sugar BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Empty the ranch packet in a mixing bowl or shallow plate. Dredge each chicken breast in the ranch powder, coating all sides of the chicken, and shake off the excess.
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic and BBQ sauce.
- Line the chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and pour the BBQ sauce over all the chicken. Bake uncovered until done, 25 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving (1 chicken breast): Calories: 196, Calories from fat: 30, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 597mg, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 3g, Protein: 35g
Blackened Chicken with Avocado Cream Sauce
This dish a 10. Why? It can be totally prepped in ten minutes and has less than ten ingredients! Plus, it's a great way to change up a boring piece of chicken. You'll love the flavors this recipe offers.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 4-ounce chicken breast and 2 tablespoons cream sauce
Ingredients
- 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- ½ cup plain, 0% Greek yogurt
- ½ avocado
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts and blackened seasoning in a large resealable bag. Seal and shake a few times to evenly coat the chicken.
- Lightly coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the yogurt, avocado, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt and pulse until smooth and creamy.
- To serve, top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of the creamy avocado sauce and garnish with ½ tablespoon green onions.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving (4-ounce chicken breast, 2 tablespoons cream sauce): Calories: 162, Fat: 6g, Carbohydrates: 4g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Protein: 25g