6 Super Healthy Chicken Recipes

Healthy Eating Basics: An Overview 

You’ve heard it often enough; I am sure of it. We have all heard the phrase that we need to “eat healthy” but what does that truly mean? What is “eating healthy” and how do we do it? To break it down, eating healthy means consuming a variety of foods and drinks that are nutritionally dense.  It also means getting the correct number of calories that’s right for you. Too many calories are not a good choice and eating too little calories is not either.
To eat healthy, we should choose to eat a variety of:

• Vegetables
  Any vegetable is good, but especially dark leafy green varieties
• Fruit
  Do not forget that the skin of many fruits holds lots of fiber too (great added nutritional bonus).
• Whole Grains
• Fat-free or Low-fat dairy products
• Protein

Provide lots of protein from sources such as: seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.
Eating healthy also means limiting certain nutrients and ingredients as well. Such as sodium (did you know that most of the sodium we consume comes from packaged foods and foods prepared in restaurants?), added sugars that are found in syrups and sweeteners, saturated fats that are found in animal products like cheese, fatty meats and whole milk. We should also limit our intake of refined grains and starches that can be found in cookies, white bread and certain snack foods.

Some of my absolute favorite dishes to prepare are healthy chicken dishes and in celebration of my love of healthy cooking, I created these 6 recipes with idea of flavor and healthy eating in mind. I hope you and your family enjoy these healthy chicken dinner ideas as much as my family does.

White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe 

This is a hearty, tummy filling recipe that can be served any day of the week. Easy to make and super healthy with lots of sources of protein, your whole family will love this one.  

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks 
1 can of low sodium white kidney beans 
1 can of low sodium white chili beans
3 cups of low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup of heavy whipping cream
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Corn Oil (or vegetable)
1 teaspoon ground Cumin
1/2 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Teaspoon Dry Italian Seasoning 
1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper 
Optional: Low Fat Monterrey jack cheese, finely shredded, cilantro, salt and pepper to Taste 

Directions:
Heat your oil in the Dutch Oven (if you do not have a Dutch Oven, any large saucepan will do). Add chopped garlic and onion and sauté. Add cumin, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and white pepper and mix. Cook until aromatic (approximately 2-3 minutes). Push to one side of the Dutch Oven and add chicken. Cook chicken thoroughly. Mix and add chicken stock and heavy whipping cream. Bring it to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add beans. Boil on LOW heat for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Kickin’ chicken with mango salsa 

This is one of my favorite super healthy chicken recipes to make that the whole family loves. The mango salsa can be kicked up a notch in the spiciness for my husband and I and the kids love the combination of savory and sweet.  

Kickin’ chicken recipe: 

Ingredients: 
4 Chicken Breasts
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Ground Cayenne red pepper to taste 

Directions: 
Season chicken with black pepper and ground cayenne red pepper. Grill on a medium hot grill until cooked through approximately 10 minutes per side. Optional: cook in oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until cooked through.  

Mango salsa recipe:  

Ingredients:  
1 medium ripe mango
1 medium ripe avocado
1/2 red onion
3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro
Lemon juice from 1 lemon 

Directions: 
Dice mangoes, avocados and red onions into small uniform squares. Mix mango, avocado, red onion and fresh cilantro in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into bowl. Stir. Place on top of cooked chicken. Serve mango at room temperature or cool. 

Easy Chicken Salad Recipe 

I love serving this super healthy chicken recipe to my family and friends during the warm summer months. You can serve it on top of a tostada or inside of a ripe heirloom tomato, the possibilities are endless.  

Ingredients 
2 medium sized chicken breasts, cooked and diced
3 large Roma tomatoes, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 cup of low fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup of low-fat sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Large tomatoes for cups or low sodium tostada’s for serving 

Directions 
Boil the chicken breasts in water on high for 40 minutes or bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes until done
Once chicken is cool: chop chicken breasts into cubes and place it into large bowl
Add sour cream and fat-free mayonnaise
Dice the tomatoes, celery and onion into bite sized pieces 
Add celery, onion and tomatoes to bowl and stir
Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve over low-sodium tostadas or inside hollowed out heirloom tomatoes.  

Easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe 

This chicken tortilla recipe is perfect for that cool Fall evening.  

INGREDIENTS: 
2 chicken breasts
1 7oz can Sliced Jalapeno’s
1 15 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 10 ounce can of enchilada sauce
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of water
1 14.5 ounce can low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10-ounce package of frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas chopped
vegetable oil spray to coat tortillas 
Optional: 1 can of black beans 

DIRECTIONS: 
Coat chicken with fresh cracked black pepper
Add all ingredients to slow cooker 
Cook on Low for 8 hours, or cook on High for 4-6 hours
Shred chicken with fork
Bake chopped corn tortillas in oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until crispy
Serve chicken tortilla soup warm 

I hope you and your family enjoy each of these super healthy chicken recipes. Don’t forget to check out Zulily’s kitchen and dining section to scoop up the hottest deals on all things kitchen and dining!