20 Chicken Breast Recipes (Healthy and Simple!) - Weelicious (2024)

How often do you buy a pack of chicken breasts, but get stumped with what recipe to make? You know they’re healthy and easy to cook, but what will be quick? Will your kids actually eat what you make? Will there be enough flavor to get you excited enough to make the dish again? These recipes are such game changers that you’ll be jazzed to buy chicken breast time and time again.

Every week when I go to the grocery, I pick up a pack of chicken breasts to make for lunch or dinner. They’re the perfect base for a variety of marinades, toppings, vegetables, seasonings and more. Since they’re high in protein, easy to digest and super kid friendly, they’re one of the first foods I grab at the market. Keep reading for 20 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes that I love!

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Marinated Chicken 6 Ways

Having marinated chicken in your freezer ready to go is a game changer when it comes to meal prepping. These are 6 of my favorites!

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Middle Eastern Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner

This chicken dish is super easy! It cooks all on one pan (clean up is a breeze), and is bursting with Middle Eastern inspired flavor.

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Chicken Fajitas

I love chicken fajita night because everyone can build their fajitas the way they like it!

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Roast Chicken with Caramelized Lemons, Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

This roast chicken recipeis super simple (hello only 5 ingredients and one pan) and incredibly delicious. The caramelized lemons are my favorite!

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Easy Chicken Nuggets

These easy chicken nuggets healthier version of their fast food counterpart made with chicken breast, some spices and baked to perfection.

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One Pot Spiced Chicken with Toasted Couscous

You can use chicken breast or thighs in this recipe simple one pan recipe. It comes together really easily and packs a punch of flavor.

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Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken

I love this Hawaiian chicken recipe. It slow cooks for a few hours leaving you with tender, juicy and flavorful chicken.

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Air Fryer Preserved Lemon Chicken

I love my air fryer and this Air Fryer Preserved Lemon Chicken is one of my go-to recipes!

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Lemon Herb Chicken

This simple Lemon Herb Chicken recipe is the easiest way to prepare chicken and is absolutely delicious! It's a great weeknight entree the entire family will love.

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Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken is a simple weeknight dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes. Not to mention, bursting with flavor and so easy to make!

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Sweet and Spiced Chicken

Sweet and Spiced Chicken will send your taste buds soaring. Serve this on it's own with some vegetables or use it to top your salads!

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Chicken, Peach & Bell Pepper Skewers

These Chicken, Peach and Bell Pepper Skewers are marinated in a tangy, sweet marinade that is beyond delicious. They're a perfect recipe for your summer BBQs!

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Chicken Tikka with Cucumber Mint Raita

Chicken Tikka is marinated in greek yogurt with Indian spices to create the most juicy chicken ever. Serve with a refreshing Cucumber Mint Raita for the perfect combo!

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Grilled Chicken & Corn Quesadilla

I love making quesadillas when I have leftover chicken breast. It's a simple way to make last night's dinner into something different for lunch!

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Arepas with Pulled Poblano Chicken

This recipe will get you out of your comfort zone, but will be quickly added to your family's favorite meals!

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Chinese Chicken Salad

This is another recipe I love to make when I have leftover chicken breast. It's fresh, crunchy and of course super tasty.

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Chicken Paillard with Summer Salad

Chicken Paillard is in my top favorite ways to prepare chicken breasts. They're tender and juicy with a crispy exterior that's unreal.

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Mu Shu Chicken

Shredded chicken breasts in a delectable sauce makes Mu Shu Chicken an irresistible recipe you've got to try.

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Pretzel Fried Chicken

Pretzel Fried Chicken is the crispiest and most tender fried chicken you'll ever make! Crunchy pretzels coat the outside to give you the most satisfying crunch.

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Stir-Fried Chicken in Lettuce Cups

These lettuce cups are crunchy and fresh. In combination with the stir-fried chicken with herbs and a slightly sweet sauce it's really something special.

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Let me know in the comments what recipes you’re making with this versatile protein! And of course tag me on social media if you make one of these recipes!

Published August 4, 2022 by Catherine McCord

Categorized in All Recipes, Entrees, Freeze Well Recipes, Meats and Proteins, Roundups, School Lunch Ideas, Toddler Recipes

About the Author

Catherine is a mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.

Learn More

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20 Chicken Breast Recipes (Healthy and Simple!) - Weelicious (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest and healthiest way to cook chicken breast? ›

The healthiest way to cook chicken is to bake it in the oven or stir fry it with vegetables. Put the parts in a baking pan, rub some olive oil on them, and surround them with plenty of garlic, lemon, carrots, or whatever you like. Bake at 350° until brown.

What is the best way to eat chicken breast for weight loss? ›

Here are some tips: Choose Lean Cuts: Opt for skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs as they are leaner cuts with lower fat content compared to other parts of the chicken. Grilling or Baking: Cooking methods like grilling, baking, or roasting are better options than frying.

What is the secret to cooking chicken breast? ›

To make baked chicken breasts moist and tender, here are some tips:
  • Brine the chicken: Soak the chicken breasts in a saltwater solution for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. ...
  • Use bone-in, skin-on chicken: Cooking chicken breasts with the bone and skin helps preserve moisture and adds flavor.
Mar 21, 2023

How to cook chicken for healthy eating? ›

Healthiest: Poaching

Once water in your deep-bottomed pan comes to a gentle boil, turn the flame down to low and carefully drop the chicken in the water. Allow the chicken to cook through and then remove it from the water. You're cooking the chicken on low heat, so there's no danger of losing nutrients.

What can I add to chicken breast to make it taste better? ›

This will help tenderise the meat and add extra flavour.
  1. Greek marinade: ...
  2. Moroccan spices: ...
  3. Maple glaze: ...
  4. Chicken Schnitzel: ...
  5. Panko: ...
  6. Coconut flakes: ...
  7. Medjool dates and fresh herbs: ...
  8. Brie and prosciutto with fresh tarragon:

What is the healthiest way to cook boneless chicken breast? ›

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.

Can you lose belly fat by eating chicken? ›

Chicken helps lose overall body weight if consumed as a healthy and balanced diet. In the process, one can also lose belly fat. While eating chicken, remember to opt for lean chicken breast; it is a good source of protein with fewer calories.

Will I lose weight if I eat chicken breast? ›

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].

Can you lose weight by only eating chicken breast? ›

Benefits of a chicken-only diet

Therefore, an all-chicken diet can help some people start off with weight loss for a short time, after which they should transition to a healthy, well-balanced diet. However, this diet has many disadvantages and is not considered the best diet for weight loss.

What should you season chicken with? ›

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

How to cook chicken breast so they are tender and juicy? ›

Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and make sure it sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

Is pan fry chicken healthy? ›

Pan frying is a method that requires lower temperatures and incorporates monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil. This is a healthier alternative since it requires cooking with more nutritious oils at lower temperatures.

Can I eat chicken everyday and be healthy? ›

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.

What is the healthiest chicken food? ›

The healthiest chicken feed is one that uses all organic ingredients and does not contain soy or fish meal as soy has a high concentration of phytoestrogen and fish meal has a high level of mercury. Chickens should also eat vegetable scraps, growing grasses, bugs and grit to be healthy.

What is the most flavorful way to cook chicken? ›

Getting a good sear through medium high heat, then reducing the heat to LOW and COVERING the chicken while it cooks. The butter, oil, and chicken juices create a super flavorful liquid that acts as a way to steam the chicken at a low temperature, ensuring that it is moist & tender on the inside.

Is it healthier to fry or bake chicken breast? ›

Lower fat content: When comparing frying versus oven-baking, a fried and batter chicken breast contains 13.2 grams of fat in a 100-gram serving, while an oven-roasted chicken breast has just 3.6 grams of fat.

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