7. Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers With Chipotle-Honey Mustard
Chicken fingers on a list of healthy chicken breast recipes? You betcha! Make the switch to this oven-fried version once a week, and you’ll shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 milligrams of sodium) in a year, while still enjoying your favorite childhood food. Our sweet and spicy sauce kicks the taste up a notch, too, so you’ll get a satisfying crunch from the panko bread crumbs, plus a mouthful of flavor.
Whether shaped like nuggets, stars, crowns, or fingers, deep-fried chicken bites do a major disservice to one of the planet’s best sources of protein. Let the restaurant coat it in one of their special sauces, and you could be downing nearly a full day’s worth of calories on a food designed for children. Make the switch to this oven-fried version once a week, and you’ll shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 milligrams of sodium) in a year, while still enjoying your favorite childhood food.
Our sweet and spicy sauce kicks the taste up a notch, too, so you’ll get a satisfying crunch from the panko bread crumbs, plus a mouthful of flavor.
NUTRITION: 250 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated), 350 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups panko gluten-free bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chipotle pepper purée (This dish is perfect for chicken finger-loving kids. Just be sure to cut the chiles from the sauce.)
1 Tbsp honey
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place the crumbs on a plate and season those, too.
- Dip the chicken tenders into the egg, then toss in the crumbs, being sure to coat fully.
- Place the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crumbs have browned and the chicken is firm.
- Combine the mustard, chipotle, and honey in a large bowl.
- Toss the cooked chicken tenders in the mixture so they are all evenly coated with the spicy-sweet sauce.
8. Chicken Fajitas
Our chicken fajitas recipe is boldly flavored, loaded with vegetables and protein, and healthy enough to eat twice a week. It’s one of those chicken breast recipes you’re going to want to make again and again.
A skillet of sizzling chicken or beef strewn with fresh onions and peppers should be the base for a fantastic meal, but then why do Chili’s, Chevys, Applebee’s, and Baja Fresh all serve versions of fajitas with more than 1,000 calories? Fattier cuts of meat, oversize tortillas, and hulking condiment trays are to blame. Thankfully, our chicken fajitas recipe is boldly flavored, loaded with vegetables and protein, and healthy enough to eat twice a week.
NUTRITION: 490 calories, 19 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 900 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
1⁄2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 onions, sliced
8 small (6″) flour tortillas, warmed
Guacamole
Salsa
1 cup shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Combine the orange juice, chipotle, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat a grill or stovetop grill pan until hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard what’s left in the bag. Grill the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly charred and cooked all the way through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken cooks, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
- Cook the bell peppers and onions until charred and caramelized on the outside, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Slice the chicken into thin pieces.
- For a dramatic presentation, place the chicken on top of the hot peppers in the skillet and bring the skillet sizzling to the table.
- Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and cheese.