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

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Chicken RecipesHealthy EatingHealthy Recipes

These will change the way you meal plan.

By

Chloe FoxEditor, HuffPost Hawaii

Most of us have a love-hate relationship with chicken. While it's an easy, go-to choice for dinner, when was the last time you really devoured a chicken dish you made?

After all, simple, baked chicken has become synonymous with joyless, dry dieting, and anything else -- we're looking at you coq au vin -- seems much too rich, complicated and time consuming for our daily repertoire.

But it turns out there are some easy and healthy shortcuts on chicken's road to flavor town. As the 13 healthy recipes below show, chicken just needs a generous dose of flavors like citrus, balsamic or basil to unlock all its delicious glory.

So watch out meal plan,these recipes are coming for you -- and they'll have everyone at the table licking their plates and asking for seconds.

1

Skillet Chicken with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

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Sally's Baking Addiction

Get the Skillet Chicken with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

2

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

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Skinny Taste

Get the Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets recipe from Skinny Taste

3

One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

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Cooking Classy

Get the One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies from Cooking Classy

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4

Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad

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Gimme Some Oven

Get the Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad recipe from Gimme Some Oven

5

Basil-Feta Sauce Chicken

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Diethood

Get the Basil-Feta Sauce Chicken recipe from Diethood

6

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

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Damn Delicious

Get the Baked Honey Mustard Chicken recipe from Damn Delicious

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7

Fajita Chicken Kebabs

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Well Plated

Get the Fajita Chicken Kebab recipe from Well Plated

8

Orange Rosemary Chicken

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Damn Delicious

Get the Orange Rosemary Chicken recipe from Damn Delicious

9

Citrus Chicken Quinoa Salad

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Sally's Baking Addiction

Get the Citrus Chicken Quinoa Salad recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

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10

Simple Sesame Chicken Skillet

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How Sweet It Is

Get the Simple Sesame Chicken Skillet recipe from How Sweet It Is

11

One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice

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Lexi's Clean Kitchen

Get the Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice One-Pan Skillet recipe from Lexi's Clean Kitchen

12

Pistachio Pesto Chicken with Whole Wheat Pasta

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How Sweet It Is

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13

Spiced Eggplant, Chicken And Chickpea Salad

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The Clever Carrot

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Before You Go

7 Essential Healthy Recipes To Master In 2016

An Always Tasty, Never Boring Veggie Dish(01 of 07)

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Roasted vegetables are one of the most versatile foods you can make throughout the year, but especially in winter, when pickings are slim. This recipe, from Dave Asprey's new Bulletproof: The Cookbook, is a terrific way to eat fresh veggies, since it will be delicious no matter what's in season, from sweet potatoes to carrots to parsnips to broccoli. The trick: Start with thick-cut bacon. Just two slices add the perfect salty and smoky element—and turn a potentially humdrum side into one with rich flavor.

Get the recipe: Winter Vegetable Salad

(credit: Mitch Mandel)

Restaurant-Worthy Seafood You Can Totally Make Yourself(02 of 07)

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A way to make fish with a crunchy, golden exterior without frying? Meet pan-roasting, one of the most effective and mouthwatering techniques for cooking nutritious salmon, cod or other seafood that doesn't involve tons of oil. This recipe, from Bon Appetit: The Food Lover's Cleanse explains just how to do it (the method takes all of nine minutes), and has you top the cooked fillets with a grapefruit-cabbage slaw that gets its creaminess from protein-rich yogurt.

Get the recipe: Pan-Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit-Cabbage Slaw

(credit: Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott)

Veggie Burgers You'll Be Happy to Heat Up(03 of 07)

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Whether you serve them on a bun or over a bed of mixed greens, plant-based patties are a satisfying and healthy vegetarian meal. This simple recipe, from the new book The Plantiful Table, by Andrea Duclos, from the blog OhDearDrea, uses a can of chickpeas as its base and also includes corn, peas, fresh herbs and carrots. The fresh-tasting burgers freeze well, so you'll never need to buy packaged ones again.

Get the recipe: Chickpea Patties

(credit: Andrea Duclos)

An Asparagus Dish That'll Win Over Skeptics(04 of 07)

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If you, or someone at your table, aren't a fan of asparagus, Emily von Euw has the recipe for you. In her new book The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook, she explains that pairing the earthy-tasting, fiber- and folate-packed vegetable with apple-cider vinegar results in a tangy, addictive side you'll make again and again. She also uses a tiny bit of maple syrup for subtle sweetness, plus tamari (a wheat-free soy sauce) for a salty kick.

Get the recipe: Sautéed Asparagus

(credit: Emily von Euw)

A Cheap And Trusty Stalwart You Can Use Anywhere(05 of 07)

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Low and slow doesn't just apply to barbecue—it's also the secret to making deeply flavored, tender cannellini beans. In The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook, Amanda Haas explains how the process couldn't be simpler: You soak the beans overnight (or, you can follow her shortcut soak technique), boil them then simmer for about two hours. The final step is to combine the legumes with garlic, rosemary and thyme that you've cooked lightly in olive oil. Enjoy the beans—which are high in protein and complex carbs—on their own as an entrée, alongside chicken or roasted vegetables or spread on toast.

Get the recipe: Cannellini Beans with Garlic and Herbs

(credit: Erin Kunkel)

A Baked Pasta You Can Feel Great About(06 of 07)

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When comfort-food cravings strike, this reliable pasta bake is one recipe you'll be happy to have in your arsenal. It's easy to prepare and is more healthful than you'd think, thanks to fat-free ricotta and part-skim mozzarella. Plus, it includes spinach for a vitamin boost.

Get the recipe: Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach

(credit: Gina Homolka)

A Shockingly Tasty Mashed-Potato Sub(07 of 07)

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Whipped cauliflower is so delicious that we now prefer it to traditional pureed potatoes. That's because even when you puree the cruciferous vegetable, it retains a bit of texture, but without the gumminess that can result when you overcook the potatoes. Also, you feel a lot less stuffed after eating it, since this dish is low in carbs. Bonus: These mashed potatoes cook in half the time.

Get the recipe: Whipped Cauliflower

(credit: Юлия Атаева /Thinkstock)

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Chicken RecipesHealthy EatingHealthy RecipesChickenhealthy dinner recipes
13 Healthy Chicken Recipes That'll Make Dinner A Breeze (2024)

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