Nutritional content in chicken

We know the hype around chicken. Its considered one of the healthiest meats. Chicken is considered healthy because it has such little fat compared to lamb and beef. Less fat means fewer calories with a similar protein content. Now, I am a firm believer that fat is essential in the diet, but moderation is key. I am painfully aware that in today’s economy, chicken is sometimes the most cost effective. It is a high protein meal we can make for our family WITHOUT breaking the bank! That’s where we. Like to make these healthy chicken recipes!

Why is Chicken Considered so Healthy?

Our body needs protein to build up and maintain muscle strength and for normal growth and development of the body. Chicken has a lot of protein in a normal portion. Poultry also has iron to transfer oxygen through the body, but in fewer quantities compared to beef and lamb. Poultry has zinc, which we know is beneficial for our immune system, to maintain healthy skin, and growth and development.

Importantly, meat, including chicken, contains vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential for our nervous system and the other B vitamins which support everybody system. B vitamins even help prevent fatigue. Meat, including chicken, also has omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for brain and heart development and health. Chicken provides all the essential vitamins and minerals, essential protein, and healthy fat in smaller quantities, meaning fewer calories which could help with weight loss.

My Love for Healthy Chicken Recipes!

Chicken is one of my favourite meats to cook. Now you might think, “But Michelle, chicken is so bland and boring. “Why do you like cooking it?” Well, my friend, you are correct. Chicken, on its own, has a rather bland taste. Which means the flavour, spices, and vegetable pairings are endless. This means I have free rein in the when I cook chicken. While I love lamb and beef, the flavour of these red meats is pretty distinct, which means I am a bit more restricted with spices that pair well with meat like beef and lamb.

What Makes Red Meat More Flavourful?

Red meat is primarily made of what are called ‘slow twitch muscle fibres. Slow twitch muscle fibres are also called red muscle fibres. The reason they are slow twitch, or red muscles, is because animals use red muscles for work and movement. These muscles need to have a long-term energy source to prevent fatigue. What’s this energy source? Fat!

The Importance of Fat

Fat is the predominant energy source of energy in red muscle fibres, broken down by aerobic metabolism. This type of metabolism means oxygen needs to be present to break down fat, which produces a lot of energy for the muscle to work. Oxygen gets to the muscles through blood.  Our good friend myoglobin, the protein responsible for meat pigment and oxygen transfer, moves oxygen from the blood to the muscle. It is a beautiful cycle but, how it impacts flavour is through the fat. The fat in the slow twitch muscles means more flavour! Fat is in larger amounts in red meat. Because there is more fat, red meat has more flavour. Flavour of fat changes with animal’s diet, the breed, and many other factors we won’t get into today! Flavour chemistry is very complicated!  

What Makes Chicken Different?

Chicken is predominantly white muscle fibres. White muscle fibres are fast twitch, meaning they fatigue quickly because these white muscles work with quick bursts of energy. This burst of energy comes from the breakdown of sugar, as glucose, in the muscle. The breakdown of sugar doesn’t require oxygen or fat. This explains why things like chicken breast, are lean proteins with minimal fat. But this also means that chicken has minimal flavour. This means chicken is essentially a blank canvas. You get to play with spices, sauces, veggies, and cooking methods. The possibilities are endless!

5 of my favourite, easy recipes I make in under 30 minutes!

These 5 healthy chicken recipes are healthy and nutritious because of how they are prepared, the veggies, and because they are easy to make and packed full of flavour! These are some of my favourite chicken recipes for easy weeknight meals. After a long day of work, the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen making a meal. I can make these recipes in under 30 minutes. Give them a try! Maybe they will become staples in your house like they have in mine.

Here are the 5 Healthy Chicken Recipes!

1. Chicken Piccata
   • Chicken Piccata makes an appearance on our dinner table every couple of weeks. It is light, delicious, and full of vegetables. Chicken piccata is a great healthy chicken recipe you can make in just 30 minutes. Its perfect for a busy night or for a meal after a long day.
2. BBQ Chicken Stir Fry
   • One of our favourite dishes during the week is this BBQ chicken stir fry. Its absolutely delicious and my favourite part is that, even after a long work day, I can have this meal ready in 20 minutes. The base of this dish also a great touch. Instead of rice, we use roasted potato cubes seasoned with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Mediterranean Baked Chicken
   • In just 30 minutes, your taste buds will be transported to the Mediterranean. The best part is that you can make this healthy chicken recipe in one pan. Its packed with a mix of wonderful veggies, and topped with a bit of goat cheese. This is such an easy dish to make mid week!
4. Easy Chicken Kabobs
   • If you are in a hurry to make dinner, look no further. These chicken kabobs are a fun meal to make and can be ready in about 12 minutes! Just heat a BBQ, mx in whatever veggies are in season with the chicken pieces, and throw everything on the grill. The clean up for grilled chicken kabobs is super fast!
5. Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken
   • Do you feel like you are getting stuck in a rut becasue you make the same meal over and over again? It doesn’t take much to elevate the dish to something more exciting. Sometimes, all you have to do is wrap pieces of prosciutto around chicken and you have an exciting new dish. The benefit is it only takes about 25 minutes to cook!

What’s the take away?

Let me know if you try these healthy chicken recipes and how much you like them! If you like these ideas, go check out my 365 Answers to “What’s for Dinner” and get 5 recipe books full of my favourite recipes and meals my family loves!