Here’s one seriously nutritious south-of-the-border skillet dinner that families can’t get enough of! Most Mexican dinners contain generous portions of grains and dairy, so I’ve lightened this one up by taking out traditional rice and replacing cheese topping with fresh avocado and pico de gallo. It’s mildly spicy and very satisfying!
Leftovers from this recipe are simply wonderful as a packed meal the next day. Chop one of the leftover chicken breasts and enjoy it with a handful of fresh arugula and a spoonful of the bean mixture.
When healthy eating tastes THIS good it’s hard to stop. And why would you want to?!
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
What you need
Servings: 8
For the Spice Blend
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 lime, juiced
¼ teaspoon liquid stevia
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced
For the Skillet
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed
1 (15 oz) can white beans, rinsed
1 avocado
½ cup pico de gallo
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
Instructions
1. Combine the spice blend in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend over all of the chicken pieces. Place in a ziplock bag in the fridge to marinate for an hour, up to overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the olive oil in a large, oven-safe, skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, salt, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rinsed beans and bring to a simmer, about 4 minutes.
4. Arrange the marinated chicken breasts over the top of the bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Top with sliced avocado, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Nutrition
One serving equals: 322 calories, 14g fat, 829mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 3g sugar and 35g protein.
Here’s an EXCITING slow cooker chicken dinner recipe to spice up your life!
By wrapping our chicken breast with strips of turkey bacon, cooking over sweet potato and covering with BBQ-covered green apples we create a dish that is BURSTING with flavor, while staying healthy on fitness friendly.
Be sure to use a BBQ sauce that has no added sugars. I used Primal Kitchen’s Golden BBQ Sauce which has only 1 gram of sugar per 2 Tablespoons.
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
What you need
Servings: 4
2 sweet potatoes
3 Green Apples
⅓ cup natural BBQ sauce (avoid ones with added sugars)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon coconut sugar (optional)
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
8 slices Turkey Bacon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
1. Skin the sweet potatoes and slice into half-moons.
2. Lightly grease the bottom of a large slow cooker with coconut oil. Place the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Seed and dice the apples.
3. In a medium bowl combine the BBQ sauce, lemon juice and coconut sugar. Mix until fully incorporated and then stir in the apples.
4. Slice the turkey bacon strips in half, lengthwise to create 16 strips. Wrap each chicken breast with 4 strips and place in the slow cooker on top of the sweet potato.
5. Top the chicken with the BBQ-apple mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Serve with a side of Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower!
Nutrition
One serving equals: 432 calories, 3g fat, 687mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, 21g sugar and 41g protein.
This creamy, comforting dish is 100 percent grain, gluten and dairy-free, which you’ll find hard to believe when you dig into it. Remember to come up for air as you enjoy this tasty noodle dinner with zero guilt!
The noodles used here are Banza Rotini made from Chickpeas. These have twice the protein, twice the fiber and half the carbs of traditional wheat noodles! What’s really cool is that by making swaps like this in your cooking, your family gets healthier and more fit without ever realizing that you’re feeding them something that’s good-for-them. Sneaky, sneaky!
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
What you need
Servings: 8
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon onion powder, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
½ teaspoon sweet paprika, divided
½ teaspoon dried basil, divided
½ teaspoon dried thyme, divided
1 Lemon, juiced and zested
2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
1 (8oz) box Banza Rotini made from Chickpeas (or 5 zucchini turned into noodles with a veggie peeler)
2 heads Broccoli, chopped
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 can (13.66oz) coconut milk, full fat
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mirin OR white wine
Instructions
1.Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes, until soft.
2. Rinse the chicken breast and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Measure out the spices, dividing into two small bowls.
4. Combine the chicken pieces with half of the spices and the juice and zest from the lemon. Mix well until all of the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
5. Add the chicken to the onions in the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes, until all of the pink is gone from the center of the chicken pieces. Add the mushroom and cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken mixture to a plate, cover and set aside.
6. Bring 8 cups of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the Banza noodles and stir immediately. After 5 minutes, add in the broccoli. Boil for another 4 minutes, then drain the noodles and broccoli.
7. In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Whisk in the coconut flour and continue to whisk until browned. Add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, Dijon, mirin (or white wine), and the remainder of the spices. Whisk frequently until the sauce begins to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for 5 minutes, as the sauce thickens.
8. Add the chicken, veggies and noodles to the sauce and mix well. Cook until warmed through. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition
One serving equals: 499 calories, 24g fat, 431mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 5g sugar and 46g protein.
Wings are a classic finger food to enjoy while kicking back with friends and family to enjoy game day. The crazy thing is that most wings are fried and then coated in a sauce that’s high in sugar and preservatives. While it tastes fantastic, you’re taking in way more calories than you need to.
This recipe for Boneless Chicken Wings is much healthier while tasting JUST AS AMAZING!
- Instead of frying these wings we are going to either use an air fryer (preferred method) or an oven.
- Instead of breading these wings in grains and gluten we are going to use a grain-free breading.
- Instead of tossing these wings in a sauce that’s high in sugar and preservatives we are going to make our own sauce using wholesome ingredients and tons of flavor.
Below is the classic Buffalo sauce, however, there are 5 additional sauce recipes to choose from on RealHealthyRecipes.com.
Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com
What you need
Servings: 8
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
celery and carrot sticks (optional for serving)
Flour Mixture
¼ cup almond flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Wet Mixture
½ cup milk (any kind) I used almond milk
1 egg white
1 tablespoon grain-free vodka (or apple cider vinegar)
Crunchy Mixture
2 cups grain-free crackers ground to a powder (I used Almond Nut-Thins)
Buffalo Sauce
¾ cup hot sauce
6 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
1. Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces. Arrange the three mixtures into three bowls and mix well.
2. If you are using an air fryer, place the basket near the three bowls. If you are using the oven then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Take each piece of chicken and drag it through the flour mixture, dip it in the wet mixture and roll it in the crunchy mixture. Place each coated wing in the air fryer basket or on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Air Fryer: Fry at 380 degrees F for 24 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time. Fry for another 6 minutes at 400 degrees F.
5. Oven: Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Turn on the high broil for 1-2 minutes, until the wings are golden.
6. Combine the hot sauce with the melted coconut oil. Mix until fully combined. Toss the cooked wings with the sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
One serving equals: 482 calories, 11g fat, 432mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 0g sugar and 26g protein.