21 Lean Chicken Breast Recipes (2024)

Chicken breast gets a bad rep for being ordinary, but it’s actually a protein-rich, blank canvas for creative cooking. If you’re ready to go beyond topping salad greens with grilled chicken, try one of these healthy recipes that either pairs chicken with delectable, easy-to-make sauces or remakes comfort-food favorites like chicken tenders — all under 455 calories per serving.

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1. SLOW COOKER CHICKEN PIBIL TACOS | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 166; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 58mg; Sodium: 40mg; Carbohydrate: 19g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 19g

2. CURRIED CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH RAITA | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 175; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 62mg; Sodium: 204mg; Carbohydrate: 6g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 24g

3. BAKED HUMMUS-CRUSTED CHICKEN | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 358; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 785mg; Carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 39g

4. SIX-INGREDIENT ORANGE CHICKEN | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 372; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 124mg; Sodium: 451mg; Carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 40g

5. LIME-CHILI CHICKEN WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 241; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 87mg; Sodium: 251mg; Carbohydrate: 14g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 35g

About the Author

MyFitnessPal’s Recipes

Healthy, delicious and simple: That’s what we’re about at MyFitnessPal! We make ourrecipes in our own test kitchen or our registered dietitian hand-selects them personally. Look for nutrition information at the bottom of the recipe or log it directly to MyFitnessPal through the “Log-It” button. Check out our entire collection or explore: low-carb,high-protein • high-fiber • gluten-free • dairy-free • vegetarian • vegan • low sodium

FAQs

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

The bottom line

Safer, healthier cooking methods for chicken include sous vide, steaming, pressure cooking, and microwaving.

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How many chicken breasts is enough? ›

Anywhere from 4 to 6 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts is enough for one adult and half that amount for kids. Most people are used to being served a single chicken breast on a plate; and while some pieces are cut into a 6-ounce portion, others can be up to 10 ounces in weight!

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How many chicken breasts do I need for 2 cups shredded? ›

How Much Chicken is 2 Cups Shredded. To yield 2 cups of shredded chicken, you'll need approximately 12 ounces of cooked chicken or 1 pound raw. In terms of cooked meat, this looks like 2 chicken breasts, 4 chicken thighs, or the meat from half of a rotisserie chicken.

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How many chicken breasts in one meal? ›

The recommended single portion of chicken is 3 to 4 ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards. Some people use the palm of their hand as a guide. Depending on the vendor, some chicken breasts are two or three times the recommended serving size.

Is it better to cook chicken breast in oven or pan? ›

What Is The Best Way To Cook A Chicken Breast? Cooking a boneless and skinless chicken breast in a hot cast iron pan is by far the easiest and most tasty way to cook the breast. You are far less likely to overcook the chicken breast compared to baking it in the oven or poaching it in water.

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

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

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Is 4 oz of chicken breast a lot? ›

4 oz of chicken breasts is about the size of your palm of your hand, of an average person. If you have very large hands, chances are more chicken breast would fit in it.

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Is 4 chicken breasts a day too much? ›

The number of chicken breasts a person should eat in a day depends on their protein needs, body weight, and overall diet. Recommended Protein Intake: Aim for 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Chicken Breast Protein: One chicken breast typically provides around 25 to 30 grams of protein.

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Is 2 chicken breasts a meal too much? ›

Eating two chicken breasts can be a part of a healthy diet, but whether it's healthy for you depends on various factors, including your overall dietary choices, portion sizes, and individual nutritional needs.

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How many chicken breasts to make 4 cups shredded? ›

Generally: 1 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken will yield about 4 cups of shredded chicken. 1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast will yield about 1 1/3 cups of shredded chicken. This is a medium breast.

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How many chicken breasts make 1 cup shredded? ›

1 cup of cubed or shredded chicken is about 5 ¼ ounces of cooked, deboned chicken. 1 cup of cubed or shredded chicken is also about 1 boiled chicken breast.

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How many cups are 4 boneless chicken breasts? ›

Four small chicken breast halves (like the ones pictured) will yield about 2 cups of diced cooked chicken.

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

Here are some tips for incorporating chicken into a weight loss diet:

Choose skinless, boneless chicken breast whenever possible.
Remove the skin from any other cuts of chicken before cooking.
Cook chicken using healthy methods, such as grilling, baking, or sautéing.
Avoid frying chicken.

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Jan 29, 2019

What is a serving of chicken breasts? ›

A 3.5-oz. (100-g) serving of chicken breast provides 165 calories, 31 g of protein, and 3.6 g of fat. That means that approximately 80% of the calories in chicken breast come from protein, and 20% come from fat. Remember that these amounts refer to a plain chicken breast with no added ingredients.

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How many chicken breasts for 4 people? ›

Use chicken breasts and roughly 1 pound per person, guaranteed that you will not have any left at the end. For a main course, you generally need about 1/2 to 2/3 pound of chicken per person.

What is the healthiest way to cook chicken breast for weight loss? ›

The Winner: Poaching

"The healthiest way to cook chicken is to poach it," Lewis explains, "because you aren't introducing any other ingredient to the chicken other than the water it is boiled in." Similar to the way you'd poach an egg, all you'll need is the chicken you're using and some hot water.

What cooking method is best for chicken breast? ›

Chicken breasts are susceptible to drying out when overcooked, so they're best cooked quickly using high heat. That means skillet-cooking, stir-frying, roasting/baking, or grilling chicken breasts are the best routes. The stovetop is particularly easy because you can make a sauce in the same pan.

What is the most flavorful way to cook chicken? ›

Cooking chicken with dried herbs and spices in oil intensifies flavors as the fat-soluble compounds in the seasonings bloom. Baste the chicken with butter at the end of cooking to brown milk solids, adding nutty flavor and color while retaining moisture.

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What's the best way to cook chicken breast so it doesn't dry out? ›

Her suggestion: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer, cover with a few inches of liquid (water, broth, etc.), add flavorings (spices, salt, herbs, soy sauce, etc.), then bring the liquid just barely to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers.

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