64 Better-For-You Chicken Recipes That Are Unexpectedly Good (2024)

64 Better-For-You Chicken Recipes That Are Unexpectedly Good (1)

Quick: Think of a healthy meal plan—is it plain rice, steamed veggies, and boring, dry chicken breast over and over? Think again! For Team Delish, eating healthy means maximizing variety, and we’ve got tons of healthy versions of your chicken favorites (lightened-up chicken Parm, anyone?), plus salads, lettuce wraps, sandwiches, and more. We know health looks different to different people, so we’ve included options for every diet, like low-carb, paleo, low-oil, and keto. Whether you're reaching for chicken breasts, thighs (the favorite cut of the Delish kitchen), or a whole bird, the options are endless.

Let’s go back to that boring, plain piece of chicken breast for a minute. On its own, chicken can be a great healthy choice—it’s full of lean protein, amino acids (including serotonin-boosting tryptophan), and is a great alternative to red meat. No matter how good it is for you though, it doesn’t matter if you never want to eat it. Trust us—all it takes is some spices, sauces, and a bit of prep to make chicken dishes that’ll stand up to even the most decadent of options. Try adding different spices, like the taco seasoning in our chicken fajitas or everything bagel seasoning in our keto everything bagel chicken; extra-flavorful sauces, like in our or our goddess bowls; or replacing ingredients you're avoiding with others, like in our keto fried chicken (breaded with pork rinds), our one-pan coconut lime chicken (dairy-free!), or our chicken Alfredo spaghetti squash (no noodles, no problem).

And we can’t overlook our air fryer—it’s hands down the best kitchen appliance to invest in if you’re trying to cut down on oil in your kitchen. We’ve included some of our favorite air fryer chicken recipes here—like our orange chicken, crispy chicken sandwich, and chicken Parm—but feel free to explore all the (nearly 100!) other things you can make in one too.

Want more healthy meal inspiration? Check out our favorite healthy breakfasts, packed lunches, and low-calorie desserts too.

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1

Chicken Fajitas

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When a sizzling plate of fajitas goes by you, it’s impossible to ignore. The signature smell, the trail of steam—this classic Tex-Mex dish is a showstopper. As iconic as they are when ordered out, fajitas are ridiculously easy to make at home, just how you like them.

Get the Chicken Fajitas recipe.

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2

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

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Meal prepping doesn’t need to be complicated, and these chicken shawarma bowls prove that. The longest step in the recipe is to let the chicken marinate, which allows you time to cut all your veggies. Win!

Get the Chicken Shawarma Bowls recipe.

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3

Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash

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Here, spaghetti squash is stuffed with chicken breasts and creamy homemade Alfredo sauce before being topped with shredded mozzarella, and baked until bubbly, melty, and golden. The result is a hearty dinner that's low-carb, but doesn't sacrifice on any of the flavor.

Get the Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash recipe.

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4

Chicken Tacos

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While far from being authentic, these Americanized tacos load up corn tortillas with seasoned chicken and all the best toppings. Pair with a skinny margarita, and your Taco Tuesday (or Wednesday, or Thursday…) will be more than complete.

Get the Chicken Tacos recipe.

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5

Chicken Stir Fry

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A stir fry is our go-to weeknight dinner when we just don’t have the energy to spend a long time in the kitchen—this recipe is no exception. Make it as is for our best-ever version, then use it as a jumping-off point to create your own.

Get the Chicken Stir Fry recipe.

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6

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

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This air-fried version is just as delicious and savory-sweet as the original orange chicken without the added effort or calories. Typically deep- or pan-fried in oil, this orange chicken recipe saves a ton of calories, fat, AND effort. Serve it over rice, whole grains, or some air-fried veggies.

Get the Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe.

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7

Za'atar Sheet-Pan Chicken

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This sheet-pan dinner is our newest fave: Bone-in chicken thighs, baby potatoes, broccoli, and red onion are all tossed in a simple za’atar marinade, then roasted to perfection. To kick it up another notch, we’re drizzling it all in a creamy tahini sauce to finish it off. 😍

Get the Za'atar Sheet-Pan Chicken recipe.

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8

Skinny Cashew Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

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This absurdly easy cashew chicken only takes 30 minutes from start to finish (yep!), and the delicious sauce has only five ingredients. You literally can't beat that for a low-carb dish!

Get the Cashew Chicken With Cauliflower Rice recipe.

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9

Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

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This easy-as-can-be weeknight dinner is a complete meal made on one sheet pan. Bonus: If you roast the sweet potatoes as indicated, your gift = creamy centers and crispy edges, enhanced by jammy red onions. Using bone-in thighs pretty much guarantees super-tender chicken too!

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10

Chicken Caesar Wraps

A chicken Caesar is one of the all-time best salads, so turning it into a wrap is a no-brainer. It’s simple yet timeless, like many of our favorite recipes are.

Get the Chicken Caesar Wraps recipe.

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11

Cheesy Salsa Chicken & Cauliflower Rice Skillet

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Pull out some frozen chicken, riced cauliflower, a bottle of salsa verde, plus a block of cheese, and you’re ready to make a low-key low-carb dinner. Bonus: You can whip this up in just 25 minutes—seriously.

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12

One-Pan Coconut-Lime Chicken

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If our creamy Tuscan chicken is a mainstay at your house, this recipe is going to be just the thing to shake up your weeknight dinner routine. We paired quick-cooking chicken cutlets with a spicy-sweet coconut milk sauce that’s out-of-this-world tasty.

Get the One-Pan Coconut-Lime Chicken recipe.

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13

Chicken Fried Rice

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If you have leftover rice hanging out in your fridge, then classic fried rice is a no-brainer. There are countless ways to bulk up this staple dinner, from beef fried rice to kimchi fried rice to pineapple fried rice. One of our favorite variations? Classic chicken fried rice.

Get the Chicken Fried Rice recipe.

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14

Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup

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Classic chicken noodle soup is already pretty good for you, but we made this even healthier by loading it up with lots of kale, using low-sodium broth, and opting for boneless skinless chicken breast. We also used gluten-free noodles, but classic egg noodles would be more than fine here.

Get the Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

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15

Harissa Chickpea & Chicken Skillet

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An ideal combination of spice, sweetness, and tang makes this skillet dinner taste like it took much longer than 45 minutes to prepare. Here, chickpeas are coated in a mahogany-hued sauce and caramelized under juicy, seared chicken thighs, resulting in a decadent, protein-packed dinner.

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16

Keto Chicken Soup

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When we're sick, or hungover, or we've just eaten WAY too much junk, we always crave a simple and satisfying chicken noodle soup. Packed with veggies and protein (and cauliflower rice instead of noodles in this recipe), this one's exactly what we need to get us back on track.

Get the Keto Chicken Soup recipe.

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17

One-Pan Balsamic Chicken & Asparagus

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This one-pan meal is one of our most frequented weeknight dinners. What's not to love? It's healthy, easy, and the sauce is a knockout. Swap out the veggies for whatever's in season—broccoli, peppers, whatever you like!

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18

Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl

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While we’re all about switching things up, when we want a tried-and-true perfect meal, we always go back to the Chipotle chicken burrito bowl. It’s classic, reliable, and, best of all, completely customizable. No corn salsa? Extra guac? At home, you can have it all!

Get the Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe.

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19

Keto Fried Chicken

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To make a keto-friendly fried chicken we skipped the flour and breaded them in pork rinds, almond flour, and Parmesan. We also baked this chicken to skip all of the unnecessary oil—trust us, you would swear these were fried.

Get the Keto Fried Chicken recipe.

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20

Goddess Bowls

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A good sauce changes everything, and this green goddess dressing is one of our favorites yet. The veggies here are interchangeable, but in the spirit of goddess dressing, we think green is the way to go. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all good choices.

Get the Goddess Bowls recipe.

64 Better-For-You Chicken Recipes That Are Unexpectedly Good (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest chicken to eat? ›

In general, skinless chicken breast is considered one of the healthiest cuts of chicken. It is low in fat and calories, yet high in protein and essential nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, and phosphorus.

How to make plain chicken breast taste good? ›

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

How to make chicken better? ›

Here are 7 tricks to make chicken breasts taste better and even totally delicious.
  1. Cook them right. Most people get scared and overcook chicken breasts, cooking out all the moisture and leaving them tough and dry. ...
  2. Marinate them. ...
  3. Cut them thin. ...
  4. Fry them. ...
  5. Stuff them. ...
  6. Shred them. ...
  7. Use the right pan.

What is the most unhealthy chicken? ›

Dark meat pieces of chicken, including wings and thighs, can be unhealthy when served with the skin and then battered and fried. You may think chicken breast is better, but those calories and saturated fat can also skyrocket once you drown it in heavy sauces and fry it.

Is air fryer chicken healthy? ›

Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.

Is it healthier to bake or fry chicken? ›

But there's a healthier, equally delicious way to eat comfort food like fried chicken. And it's all thanks to your oven. By cooking chicken in the oven, you'll use little oil, which will minimize heart health risks. Aside from being healthier for your heart, this chicken is also high in protein (8 g per serving).

Is pan frying chicken unhealthy? ›

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.

What enhances chicken flavor? ›

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

What makes chicken taste the best? ›

Here are the best ways to make chicken breast taste good, every time!
  1. Make sure your Chicken is Properly Defrosted Prior to Cooking. ...
  2. Buy a Meat Thermometer. ...
  3. Marinate, Marinate, Marinate! ...
  4. Buy High Quality, Pasture Raised Chicken.

How do chefs get chicken so tender? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook.

How do you keep chicken moist and juicy? ›

Brining is especially great for frying chicken. It gives you crispier skin while keeping the meat juicy on the inside. Make your brine by dissolving salt and sugar in water before adding the chicken. Make sure to use lukewarm water.

What is the best chicken for weight loss? ›

If your main aim is weight loss, then the best type of chicken you can opt for is- skinless, boneless chicken breast. Do you know that 3-ounce serving of skinless, boneless chicken breast provides just 140 calories, a whopping 26 grams of protein, and just 3 grams of fat?

Which form of chicken is best 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.

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