This might not be the most lady like thing I’ve ever said, but sometimes the thought of eating another chicken breast for dinner makes me want to slap myself in the face.
Ok, that might be bit dramatic but do you know what I mean?
I don’t think I’m the only person who feels this way, either. A dietitian friend of mine recently confessed, “shhh, don’t tell anyone, but I can’t stand chicken breasts!” Fear not, my friend, your secret’s safe with me. I mean…us. Right? ;)
The reality though is that boneless skinless chicken breasts are one of the most convenient, healthy, and affordable weeknight dinner staples in many people’s homes, including mine. Ben likes them. Lincoln likes them, and ok, I do too. When they’re done right, that is! I’ve told you a bunch of times that “Boring Chicken” is one of our go-to dinners at home – just garlic salt and pepper-seasoned chicken breasts sauteed then served with mashed potatoes and…
Wow, you know what’s more boring than eating Boring Chicken? TALKING about Boring Chicken!
Which leads me to this – let’s talking about EXCITING healthy chicken breast recipes! Lean chicken breasts truly make a great base to jazz up by stuffing with yummy ingredients, or blanketing under a luscious pan sauce, or, or, or – truly the options are endless.
I’m here today to give you something new and different to do with the pack of chicken breasts that are thawing in the fridge as speak, destined for tonight’s dinner. Throw your plans for them out the window and give one of these fresh and flavorful, healthy chicken breast recipes that are anything but boring a try!
Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans
Chicken Power Bowls with Crispy Baked Garbanzo Beans are a riff on Panera’s Power Bowls and are packed with protein to help you “power” through your day. Get it? Seriously though, between the crispy baked garbanzo beans (which make an excellent snack, by the way!) hard boiled egg, sliced sauteed chicken breast, salty pistachios, and tangy goat cheese – nobody’s going to try to claim they aren’t full after eating one of these babies, plus the combination of flavors and textures will have each bite tasting different than the next.
Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet
When there’s no plan for dinner, and I’ve got chicken breasts thawing in the fridge, 80% of the time I’ll make Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet with them. I pick leeks and mushrooms up at the store every week in anticipation of making this scrumptious dish because Ben and I are both with obsessed with how quick and delicious it is. Occasionally I’ll even skip the flour coating, and/or use basil instead of tarragon, and it still comes out perfectly every time. We literally lick our plates clean!
Grilled Caprese Chicken with Basil Vinaigrette
Come out, come out, wherever you are, summer! Grilled Caprese Chicken with Basil Vinaigrette is a dream in the summertime, or anytime you’re looking for a fresh and healthy meal, really. The classic Caprese combination of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar reduction are wickedly delicious in this easy yet stunning recipe using chicken breasts.
Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
Plain ol’ chicken breasts are pumped up in the flavor department in Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad. This recipe was inspired by my love for TGI Friday’s back in high school when they had this delectable salad on the menu (and I weighed 10 pounds less – sigh!) The crunch of pecans and slightly sweet taste from the maple syrup in the crust makes this healthy chicken salad taste anything but ordinary.
Chick-fil-A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
I recently made these copycat Chick fil A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce and man oh MAN I’d forgotten how delicious they are! Seriously, crazy addicting. I actually intended to make them to freeze for Lincoln (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it…) but Ben and I ended up eating the entire batch. Baha! #literallyzeroregrets I guess I don’t know if you could call these “healthy”, but seeing as how I can pronounce everything in the ingredient list, which I can’t say about the restaurant’s version, I’m stickin’ with ’em.
Click here for the recipe >
Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Chicken
Cutting a pocket into chicken breasts then stuffing them with delicious ingredients is a super simple way to make boring chicken breasts, well, not boring. Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Chicken is ridiculously easy to make yet tastes great, and looks impressive, too.
Creamy Chicken and Herb Skillet
Creamy Chicken and Herb Skillet has been blowing up on Pinterest lately and I know exactly why – it takes just 15 minutes to make and tastes absolutely luscious, too.
Roasted Garlic Chicken Skillet
Plain chicken breasts are imparted with deep flavor from pan-roasted garlic cloves in Roasted Garlic Chicken Skillet. Paired with mashed potatoes, this healthy chicken recipe feels special enough for Sunday dinner, but can be easily made any night of the week.
Chicken with Cherry Wine Pan Sauce
I didn’t know how the recipe for Chicken with Cherry Wine Pan Sauce was going to turn out the first time I made it, but luckily it was even better than I imagined. No need to pit fresh cherries for this simple, one-skillet supper – frozen pitted sweet cherries do the work for you!
Apple Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with Apple Dijon Pan Sauce
Apple Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with Apple Dijon Pan Sauce is a dish Ben came up with after raiding the refrigerator for something to make for dinner. It is SO, SO good. Like, stupid-good – I love the combination of fresh flavors. Try it!
Alley @ Alley's Recipe Book 03.30.2015
My favorite, not boring chicken meals (that are also ready super fast) both involve cream, but I still consider them healthy. Coq au riesling and chicken cooked in a creamy dijon sauce… both are so so good. With vegetables on the other half of the plate, that makes it healthy! :)
Amy 03.30.2015
This post got me thinking about how much we loved eating your recipe for chicken with Blue Moon beer. I can no longer eat gluten anymore either, so it’s been a while since I’ve made it. Do you think it would work with a gluten free beer? What would you use? I have Omission… the IPA?
Saturday Small Talk | Balance and Blueberries 03.28.2015
[…] 10 Recipes for Chicken Breast that aren’t boring. […]
Alyssa 03.27.2015
You posted this at the perfect time because I’m looking for those salads now that we’re going through a heat wave here in San Dieg! Thanks!
Friday Faves | Caleigh's Kitchen 03.27.2015
[…] always looking for new recipes for Chicken and these look pretty darn […]
Friday Faves Part 9 - TheresesPieces 03.27.2015
[…] 10 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes from Kristin over at Iowagirleats. We eat A LOT of chicken in our household and to be honest, chicken tends to get boring really fast and these recipes are anything but ordinary. I can’t wait to bust out the grill to make this tasty grilled caprese chicken or this yummy sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken […]
Lindsey at WTTL 03.26.2015
Thanks for these. I always have chicken around but I feel like I get stuck making the same things over and over. Options are always awesome! :-)
10 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes that are Anything But Boring … | Fast Ways to Lose Thigh Fat 03.26.2015
[…] 10 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes that are Anything But Boring … […]
Chelsea @ Delipsch 03.26.2015
I never thought I would be this excited to go back to the chicken breast section of the grocery store…something to look forward to! Thanks for all the delipsch recipe ideas! Cheers to Chicken.
Sommer 03.26.2015
Why is the author of this post named Hayley Teater? Are you being punked?? :)
Kristin 03.26.2015
Ack! No, she is transitioning old recipes to a new format to print on the same page as the post (YES!) and I was logged into her account when I created this post. Good catch – thanks for letting me know!
Missy G. 03.25.2015
Your Garlic Roasted chicken makes a regular appearance in my house. Also, I’m looking forward to trying the lemon pepper chicken recipe that you posted recently.
Ramsey 03.25.2015
Perfect timing! I was in need of some new Chicken ideas.
Meaghan Voigt 03.25.2015
Kristin! I have made 8/10 of these dishes and I’ve loved them all! Your recipes are awesome, easy to make & family friendly – thanks for being my lunch time reading every day! <3
molly rose 03.25.2015
This is perfect! My husband and I eat chicken as the base of our dinner at least twice a week and it HAS been a bit boring lately. Thanks for sharing, I will be shopping with these recipes next week!
Ps chik fil a sauce is the absolute best thing to happen to the sauce world.
Becky 03.25.2015
I just bought a whole bunch of chicken at the store today…perfect timing! I have a lot of these recipes buried on a pinterest board, so I’m glad to have this reminder!
My husband and I are headed to Charleston next month, so we’ve been making restaurant reservations at some of the places you mentioned. Can’t wait!
Jody 03.25.2015
Great post! Just a friendly note, though, that your Chick-fil-A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce image has the word “with” spelled wrong on it. Thanks for the great chicken recipes. My favorite protein!
Kim 03.25.2015
This post was so hilarious! I hate “boring chicken” too but eat it all the time. Thanks for all the ideas, I will definitely be giving some of these a go!
Lindsay@BluegrassBites 03.25.2015
Those Chicken Power Bowls are seriously one of my favorite salad recipes ever! I use your recipe all the time, especially during the summer. The dressing is probably the best part.
Debtgirl 03.25.2015
Love all the sauce ideas!!!! Thank you!!!!
Britt@MyOwnBalance 03.25.2015
These are all really great ideas! I’m with you. Chicken can be so boring but when it is done right I absolutely love it!