1. Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Chimichurri Sauce
One of the easiest chicken breast recipes you can make is simply putting your chicken on a sandwich! This grilled chicken sandwich delivers heroic flavor by employing chimichurri, an Argentine herb-based sauce that would make shoe leather taste like fine dining, along with a solid supporting cast of sweet peppers, sharp raw onions, and peppery greens. Good luck finding a side salad, let alone a real sandwich, at a restaurant for 310 calories.
No chain menu in America is without a chicken sandwich or two, and people often select it thinking of it as a healthier alternative to red meat. Eighty percent of the time, it is breaded and fried, and when it isn’t (as in the case with Panera’s Chipotle Chicken), it’s so overloaded with condiments and bulky bread that you’ll be lucky to escape consuming fewer than 1,000 calories. So much for being a healthy alternative to a hamburger.
This grilled chicken sandwich delivers heroic flavor by employing chimichurri, an Argentine herb-based sauce that would make shoe leather taste like fine dining, along with a solid supporting cast of sweet peppers, sharp raw onions, and peppery greens. Good luck finding a side salad, let alone a real sandwich, at a restaurant for 310 calories.
NUTRITION: 310 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 475 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (6 oz each)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups mixed baby greens
4 whole-wheat sesame buns, split and lightly toasted
1⁄2 red onion, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup jarred roasted red peppers
1⁄2 cup chimichurri
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet.
- Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and grill or sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until firm and cooked through.
- Divide the mixed greens among the bun bottoms.
- Top each bun with a chicken thigh, then pile on the onion and peppers.
- Spoon on the chimichurri, then top with the other bun halves.
2. Spicy Thai Chicken with Basil Recipe
This Thai classic (called gai pad grapow) gets its flavor from chiles, garlic, and fresh herbs—nutritional powerhouses known to boost metabolism and fight cancer. Together, they also make for a full-throttle flavor experience that trumps nearly any Chinese stir-fry in the health department.
The cuisines of Southeast Asia—Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian—deliver more flavor per calorie than any other on the planet and make for a refreshing break from the cartons of Chinese takeout that clutter so many American refrigerators. This Thai classic (called gai pad grapow) gets its flavor from chiles, garlic, and fresh herbs—nutritional powerhouses known to boost metabolism and fight cancer. Together, they also make for a full-throttle flavor experience that trumps nearly any Chinese stir-fry in the health department. Adjust the heat in this Thai chicken recipe to your liking, but if it’s not at least somewhat fiery, then it’s not Thai.
NUTRITION: 190 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 890 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
1 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced (or more if you really like your food fiery)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp fish sauce (If you absolutely can’t find fish sauce, you can substitute with more low-sodium soy sauce and a dash of Worcestershire, which is actually made in a similar manner as fish sauce.)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai or holy basil, but you’ll only find those at specialty markets)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.
- When hot, add the onion, jalapeños, and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes, using a metal spatula to keep the ingredients in motion.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meat is beginning to brown on the outside.
- Add the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and basil and cook for 1 minute more.
- Serve over rice.
