HEALTHY RECIPES COLLECTIONS

Chicken is an excellent choice for dinner any night of the week. Packed with protein, selenium, niacin and B6 vitamins, chicken is the low-fat centerpiece of limitless dishes. Whether baked, sautéed, roasted, shredded or stir-fried, it’s easy to see why chicken is one of America’s most popular choices for dinner.

Here is a collection of quick and easy chicken recipes to enjoy and helpful tips for success every time.

Chicken Breast | Chicken Tenders | Chicken Thighs | Whole Chicken | Leftover Chicken & Turkey | Cooking Tips | Menus

Healthy Chicken Recipes: Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

• Chicken, Black Bean, Corn & Tomato Salad
• Chicken Cutlets with Grape-Shallot Sauce
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce
• Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken with Pepián Sauce
• Grilled Chicken & Polenta with Nectarine-Blackberry Salsa
• Moroccan Chicken Kebabs
• Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken with Shallots
• Romaine Salad with Chicken, Apricots & Mint
• Spicy Pecan-Crusted Chicken
• Vietnamese Chicken & Noodle Salad
• Warm Snow Pea & Chicken Salad
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Healthy Chicken Recipes: Chicken Tenders

• Chicken, Broccoli Rabe & Feta on Toast
• Coconut-Lime Chicken & Snow Peas
• Roasted Chicken Tenders with Peppers & Onions
• Thai Grilled Chicken & Broccoli on Napa Cabbage
• Wok-Seared Chicken Tenders with Asparagus & Pistachios
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Healthy Chicken Recipes: Chicken Thighs

• Chicken with Artichokes & Olives
• Greek Chicken & Vegetable Ragout
• Jerk Chicken & Nectarine Salad
• Skillet-Braised Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas
• Turkish Chicken Thighs
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Healthy Chicken Recipes: Whole Chicken

• Catalan Sauté of Chicken with Sausage, Capers & Herbs
• Herb & Lemon Roast Chicken
• Pan-Roasted Chicken & Gravy
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Healthy Chicken Recipes: Leftover Chicken & Turkey

• Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
• Cheesy Chicken Pasta
• Crispy Turkey Tostadas
• Warm Winter Salad
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Tips for Cooking With Chicken

• Many healthy chicken recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are a very versatile cut of chicken, and are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast.
• Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. When a recipe calls for chicken breasts alone, remove the long, thin tenders and freeze them wrapped in plastic. When you have gathered enough, use them in quick stir-fries, chicken satay or healthy kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”
• Chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.
• Store-bought rotisserie chicken is convenient and practical—but much higher in sodium than a home-roasted bird (4 ounces home-roasted chicken: less than 100 mg sodium; 4 ounces rotisserie chicken: 350-450 mg sodium). Even the unseasoned varieties have been marinated or seasoned with salty flavorings. People with hypertension should think twice before choosing store-bought.
• One pound of raw chicken with bones yields 1 cup cooked, boned meat.

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Healthy Chicken Menus

Saucy Chicken Menu
Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce
Fennel & Lemon Green Bean Salad
Whole wheat baguette
Broiled Mango

Five-Spice Chicken Menu
Five-Spice Chicken & Orange Salad
Sliced Fennel Salad
Asian Brown Rice

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Learn more:

• Free-range Chicken Dinners for Two
• Green Choices: Meat & Poultry Buyer's Guide
• Shopping for Natural Meats
  A list of companies who go beyond the government’s standards for natural meats
• Guaranteed Humane
  A look at the labeling debate surrounding humanely raised poultry, beef and pork
• Featured Nutrient: Selenium
  News about one of chicken’s beneficial nutrients

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Resources

• National Chicken Council
  Tips for buying, handling, storing, preparing and cooking chicken safely

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