30 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes That Are Anything But Boring
We know what you're thinking: How exciting can chicken breasts be? As it turns out, pretty exciting, actually. Plus, the fact that these chicken breast recipes also happen to be healthy too is really the cherry on top of the cake. Admittedly, Team Delish is solidly very much about chicken thighs, but these healthy (yet still super-satisfying) chicken breast recipes have us rethinking our allegiance, especially if BBQ chicken salad is what's for dinner tonight!
When it comes to healthy eating, we think it's key to keep boredom at bay. Chicken breasts can often get a bad rap, but they're also the perfect blank canvas for endless flavor combos that would never come across as bland "health food." Personally, we can't get enough of the combo of chicken + any and all citrus. It's a light and bright way to add tons of flavor without feeling weighed down, as we did with our recipes for crunchy Mandarin orange chicken salad, one-pan coconut lime chicken, and skillet lemon lemon-herb chicken and potatoes.
Eating healthy also doesn't mean you have to give up those comfort food classics. Far from it! Case in point: our air-fryer chicken parm recipe. It's truly unbelievable that something so crispy and indulgent-tasting doesn't use any oil. And don't get us started on our air-fryer orange chicken. It's sweet and savory just like the mall food court classic, but just a tiny bit better for you.
If you're on a healthy eating kick, check out all of our favorite healthy dinner recipes next!
It’s one of our favorite tricks at Delish: Cooking all components of a dish—protein, carbs, vegetables—in a single skillet. Quick-cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts stay moist and tender thanks to pan-roasting and a tangy lemon-butter sauce. If you can't find small potatoes, feel free to cut up larger ones to about 1" pieces. It'll turn out just as good!
Get the Skillet Lemon-Herb Chicken and Potatoes recipe.
(Emily Hlavac Green)
There's a lot to love about a classic Cobb salad. It's packed with hard-boiled eggs, chopped chicken, bacon, avocado, and refreshingly crispy romaine. The gang's all here, except with some big-time upgrades. Strawberries stand in for the standard tomatoes, while feta takes the place of blue cheese. Fear not, there's still an extra-creamy buttermilk-based dressing that coats every bite.
Get the Strawberry Chicken Cobb Salad recipe.
(PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE)
If our creamy Tuscan chicken is a mainstay at your house, this recipe is going to be just the thing to shake up your weeknight dinner routine. We paired quick-cooking chicken cutlets with a spicy-sweet coconut milk sauce that’s out-of-this-world tasty. Tomatoes (and tomato paste) bring it back down to Earth, so you can make this over and over (and over!) again. Not convinced? Did we mention this comes together in just one pan, in less than 30 minutes?!
Get the One-Pan Coconut-Lime Chicken recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE)
Though we’re all about a healthy salad chock-full of delicious ingredients, sometimes we’re more about quality than quantity. Possibly the most quintessential example of this is the Caprese salad, made up of just three ingredients—fresh mozzarella, gorgeous tomatoes, and bright basil. To make this chicken-avocado version, we stuck with that principle, just adding grilled balsamic chicken, creamy avocado, and a little romaine for crunch. The result is a simple salad that is still refreshing and light, but also satisfying enough to be dinner.
Get the Chicken-Avocado Caprese Salad recipe.
(PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE)
This recipe was semi-inspired by the Chinese Chicken Salad at The Cheesecake Factory, where they use wonton strips and crispy rice noodles. Instead, we sub in a block of dried ramen—broken up, the crunchy, wavy noodles act as croutons just as well. Feel free to sub the almonds for cashews or peanuts too!
Get the Crunchy Mandarin Orange-Chicken Salad recipe.
(PARKER FEIERBACH)
Bowls in general are such a smart move, because they’re quick, easy, and insanely delicious. To make these burrito bowls, you take your basic burrito fillings—in this case taco-spiced chicken and black bean rice—and cook them in the same skillet. Everyone can serve themself and add as much (or little) of the toppings as they like. The result is a family-friendly dinner with way less dishes to wash after.
Get the Chicken Burrito Bowl Skillet recipe.
(Parker feierbach)
This savory, spicy, and saucy Chinese-American inspired stir fry makes for the ideal crowd pleasing weeknight meal or Sunday night meal prep menu item.
Get the Black Pepper Chicken recipe.
(Andrew bui)
Here’s a quick and easy dinner that’s high in protein and takes very little effort. We love the Tex-Mex spices here; the chili powder and cayenne add a nice kick that the avocado and sour cream perfectly offset. Of course, feel free to use a little less of either spice if you prefer.
Get the One Pan Chicken & Quinoa recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM)
This one-pot recipe is the perfect way to spruce up chicken breasts with bright Mediterranean flavors without dirtying all the pots and pans in your kitchen. Serve it over some couscous for the perfect bright, yet hearty, meal.
Get the Mediterranean Chicken recipe.
(PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
We're always looking for new ways to switch up our weeknight chicken dinner, and when we're craving something light and easy, this one-pan meal is one we turn to again and again. Chicken, asparagus and cherry tomatoes are all cooked alongside a sharp, acidic, yet sweet homemade balsamic glaze in this recipe, so you can enjoy a dinner with maximum flavor and minimum cleanup. It's also just as versatile as it is easy: This meal is an ideal spring dinner, but you can switch up the veggies for whatever is in season to enjoy all year round.
Get the One-Pan Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
Our dream for this chicken came from our love all things spinach artichoke and how well our primavera stuffed chicken comes out every time we make it. Hasselback your chicken by cutting shallow slits into your chicken breasts (don't cut all the way through!) and stuff each slit with bacon and a creamy spinach and artichoke filling. It will make your weeknight chicken dinner sing! It's untraditional, but all the best meals are.
Get the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe.
(Erik bernstein)
If you're like us and put hot honey on everything, then this dinner is for you. Chicken is tossed in hot honey that you make yourself, so the heat level is completely up to you. We recommended drizzling any extra honey from the pan over the bowls for an added kick. 😎
Get the Hot Honey Chicken & Rice Bowls recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: RILEY WOFFORD)
Skip bringing the traditional pasta salad to the summer potluck. This pasta salad has a creamy peanut dressing and is full of fresh, crunchy veggies with no mayonnaise in sight. It’s just as simple to make and is as delicious hot as it is cold, which means you can easily make it ahead of time.
Get the Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.
(RACHEL VANNI)
This creamy, red-tinted spin on white chicken chili incorporates gochujang for a unique spin on a classic winter dinner. Gochujang, an umami-packed Korean red chili paste that is both sweet and savory, gives lots of chili flavor without adding a ton of heat, meaning this can be enjoyed by everyone in the family (even the spice-averse).
Get the Creamy Gochujang White Chicken Chili recipe.
(PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
This Buffalo chicken salad has it all. It's the best way to eat your Buffalo chicken wings, covered in a homemade ranch dressing, with all of our favorite sides. Bonus, no saucy orange fingers!
Get the Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe.
(Parker feierbach)
This easy one-pot chicken dinner has got it all: protein, carbs, and fresh veggies all in one skillet for a complete dinner. The flavors in this recipe take their cues from shawarma, the popular Levantine dish that features thin cuts of seasoned meat. For an interactive dinner, serve this chicken shawarma with extra sauces on the side, like tzatziki, tahini sauce, or baba ghanoush.
Get the One-Pot Shawarma Chicken and Orzo Skillet recipe.
(ANDREW BUI)
When it comes comes to chicken, we typically like roasting chicken thighs because they stay so juicy and get extra crispy. Chicken breasts have a terrible reputation for drying out, but an air fryer keeps that from happening. The quick cook time means they stay nice and tender and the breading still gets extra crispy from the intense air circulation inside these powerful little machines. All without a drop of oil. It's an actual miracle.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe.
(Parker feierbach)
Smothered in sweet honey mustard sauce, these chicken breasts are grilled to perfection, staying super-tender and juicy by cooking inside foil packets. Honey mustard sauce can be as simple as just two ingredients; however, we amped it up for flavor and cooked it slightly to thicken the sauce so it stays on top of the chicken, creating almost a glaze. A duo of mustards is a must for the flavor—grainy mustard is more mild with a pop of texture, while Dijon adds a burst of that signature mustard intensity.
Get the Honey Mustard Chicken, Tomato & Zucchini Foil Packs recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
The combination of sweet strawberries, herby chicken, creamy goat cheese, and spicy red onions may even make so-called spinach haters love this recipe.
Get the Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe.
(PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
Some salads are meant to be sides, but some (the best ones!) can stand as a dinner all on their own. This BBQ chicken salad is firmly in the latter camp: Juicy grilled BBQ chicken sits alongside festive South-of-the-border-inspired toppings like black beans, corn, cheese, and tortilla strips. Put that on top of some crunchy romaine and drizzle it with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, and you’ve got yourself a hearty meal you’ll look forward to eating again and again.
Get the BBQ Chicken Salad recipe.
(PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS)
These flavor-packed peanut-sesame chicken lettuce cups are as simple as it gets for a weeknight dinner. For the juiciest, most tender shredded chicken, try to pick breasts that are similar in size, so they cook at roughly the same rate, then toss in the peanut sauce while hot for maximum flavor absorption.
Get the Peanut-Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups recipe.
(PARKER FEIERBACH)
Pull out some frozen chicken, riced cauliflower, a bottle of salsa verde, plus a block of cheese, and you’re ready to make a low-key low-carb dinner. Bonus: You can whip this up in just 25 minutes—seriously.
Get the Cheesy Salsa Chicken And Cauliflower Rice Skillet recipe.
(LAURA REGE)
Packed with simple, everyday ingredients, this dish brings together chili-spiced rice, black beans, corn, peppers, and salsa- and cheese-topped chicken for a complete meal, all neatly wrapped up and grilled in an easy foil pack. You can also make it in the oven if you like.
Get the Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packets recipe.
(PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: LAURA REGE)
Spinach and artichoke dip is one of our all-time faves. We love it so much, we stuffed it inside boneless, skinless chicken breasts for crazy-tasty results. Not to mention, the creamy, cheesy filling keeps the super lean chicken moist and tender. These are perfect served alongside herb-roasted potatoes, roasted cauliflower, or mashed potatoes for an easy dinner that manages to impress too.
Get the Air Fryer Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe.
(Joel goldberg)
If you throw chicken into a pan with salt and pepper and bake it for forever, of course it's going to be terrible. We know this sounds obvious, but it's what so many people trying to "eat healthy" do. On the other hand, when you add layers of bright and fresh flavors (like lemon pepper!), eating healthy can be extremely easy and delicious.
Get the Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken recipe.
(Ethan Calabrese)
Believe it or not, you CAN have a hearty, delicious meal on your table in less time than it takes to order delivery. Coating frozen, thin-sliced chicken breasts in a curry-ginger yogurt sauce ensures your chicken is loaded with flavor. Paired with garlicky curried rice, spinach, and bright and crunchy quick-pickled red onions, this easy weeknight dinner checks all our boxes.
Get the Curried Chicken & Garlic Golden Rice recipe.
(PARKER FEIERBACH)
We love Caprese salad in all forms: whether it’s topping garlic bread, tossed into pasta salad, or even stuffed into lasagna. But one of our all-time favorite versions will always be this Caprese chicken dinner. Here we’re reinventing the classic Caprese salad into an easy one-pan meal, complete with cheesy-smothered chicken, balsamic-glazed tomatoes, and fresh basil. It’s super-simple and quick to make, and oh so tasty!
Get the Caprese Chicken recipe.
(Ethan Calabrese)
Making a whole recipe on one sheet pan is perfect for meal prepping. For these fajitas you simply toss all of the ingredients—chicken and vegetables—in an easy marinade of avocado oil and taco spices like cumin and chili powder and then bake it all together on a sheet pan for just 25 minutes. Turn them into tacos, serve them over rice, whatever you like!
Get the Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe.
(Chelsea Lupkin)
This air-fried version is just as delicious and savory-sweet as the original orange chicken without the added effort or calories. Typically deep- or pan-fried in oil, this orange chicken recipe saves a ton of calories and fat. Of course, this dish is perfect over rice or whole grains, but if you are looking for a low-carb side, serve this over simple air fried vegetables, letting them soak up the extra sauce in place of grains.
Get the Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe.
(PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: HADLEY SUI)
The fact that crispy golden chicken can be achieved without the use of any oil whatsoever is amazing. This air fryer chicken Parm tastes every bit as good as the traditional version, but requires much less effort to whip up.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
(LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY)Eating healthy does not have to be boring, and these healthy chicken breast recipes are definitely proof, whether you're into salads, bowls, or one-pan dinners.
