Has it ever happened to you? It is the Sunday morning when you don't feel like getting out of your loving bed, yet your stomach growls out of hunger, your tongue longs for delicious food and your mood screams for chicken.
There might be a lot many chicken lovers out there and there also might be some, who are not a chicken aficionados.
But the incredible health benefits that chicken holds are sure to make every non-vegetarian its fan. And did you know, Chicken helps in weight loss to a lot of extent!
Don't believe me?
Some well-renowned nutritionists have always claimed that Chicken is packed with lean protein which helps you keep your hunger satisfied for a longer time. The reason is that the protein helps the body burn fat more effectively.
So, in order to make our ladies even stronger here, we have listed some super easy, super healthy and diet friendly chicken preparations, which can uplift your’s as well as everyone's mood instantly along with amazing health benefits:
Do try all of them and be sure to share the pictures in here!
#1. Chicken Teriyaki - For the ones who are newly in love!
What you need:
- 250 gms Boneless chicken- washed, cleaned, cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 heaped spoon Jaggery/ brown sugar
- 3 spoon soya sauce
- A pinch of salt
- Spring onion (optional)
How you make it:
- Take a nonstick pan and put it on the stove. Heat the pan, add butter, salt, and chicken pieces.
- Mix the melted butter over the chicken pieces and stir the chicken occasionally. When the colour of the chicken starts to change, cover the pan with a lid. Continue to cook the chicken for next 5-10 mins.
- When the chicken pieces appear to be 70% cooked, add soya sauce followed by jaggery or brown sugar.
- Mix them well and cover the lid for rest of the cooking.
- Serve hot after garnishing with chopped spring onion.
#2. Low-Fat Chicken Shawarma Recipe - For your elderly parents or parents-in-law.
What you need:
- 600 gm thinly sliced chicken
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp any curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- Salt as per taste
- 1/2 tsp paprika / Kashmiri Lal Mirch
- Juice of 2 lemons
For sauce:
- 1/2 cup yoghurt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp tahini (optional)
- Salt as per taste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp oil of your choice
How to make it:
- Marinate chicken slices in all the ingredients.
- Keep in the marinade for at least 3.5 to 4 hours.
- Now, take a pan and fry chicken till dry.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients into a paste.
- Take pita bread or roti and spread the paste over it. You may want to add tomato, sliced onion, and green chillies.
- Finally, add the cooked chicken over the bread and make a firm roll.
#3. Lemon Chicken - For the ones who have a guest coming down tonight!
What you need:
- 250 gm Boneless Chicken
- 1 cup yoghurt
- ½ cup lemon juice- for marination
- ½ cup lemon juice- for adding later while cooking
- 1 tbsp Giner garlic fine paste
- 2 slit from between green chillies
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 tej patta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp Cornflour powder.
- 1 tbsp Black pepper powder
- Salt as per taste
How to make it:
- Take a mixing bowl, add the chicken pieces, salt, lemon juice, black pepper, curd, ginger garlic paste and mix it well. Cover this marination and keep it for 2-4 hours.
- Now heat a pan and add butter to it. Once the butter melts, add the tej patta, chopped garlic, ginger, and the green chillies.
- Once the aroma is released, add the marinated chicken and cook well for 5-10 mins.
- Now add lemon juice and cornflour powder.
- Serve hot with lemon and onion slices.
#4. Chicken Soup - For the Soul!
What you need:
- 250 gms chicken with bones
- 1 big cup cut vegetables of your choice (carrot, capsicum, sweet corn, beans, spinach)
- 2 tbsp shredded ginger
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp pepper powder
How to make it:
- Take a pressure cooker, pour 3 to 4 glass of water and add all ingredients in it EXCEPT (bay leaves, lemon juice, and shredded ginger). Set this for 5-10 mins on medium flame.
- Once the whistle has blown for 2-3 times, put the pressure cooker down and set a pan on the flame.
- Heat ghee on the pan and add bay leaf, shredded ginger.
- Drain the stock of the vegetables and chicken on to the pan and take the chicken pieces aside.
- Shred the chicken and add it back to the pan along with the cooked vegetables.
- Add lemon juice and sprinkle some more black pepper.
- Serve this hot with some more ghee on it.
#5. Chilli Chicken - For the ones who love hanging out with their girlies!
What you need (For the marination)
- Oil for Frying
- 500 grams boneless Chicken Thighs (cut into 3/4 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or Maida)
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chilli Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Chilli Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper Powder
- 1 egg
What you need (For the stir fry):
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Oil
- 3-4 Green Chillies (slit lengthwise)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Ginger
- 2-3 Spring Onions (finely chopped)
- 3 large Onions (cut into 1-inch squares)
- 1 large Capsicum (cut into 1-inch squares)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chilli Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
How to make it:
- In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients listed under marination (flour, cornflour, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, chilli sauce, chilli powder, pepper powder, and egg) and add chicken. Set aside for 15 minutes to an hour.
- After 1 hour, heat oil for deep frying in a deep pan or kadhai. Once the oil is hot enough, start adding the chicken pieces and deep fry for 5-8 minutes till golden brown.
- Take out the chicken pieces out on a tray which is lined with tissue to absorb any extra oil.
- In another kadhai, heat one and a half tablespoons oil and add green chillies, ginger, and garlic.
- Saute for a minute on high heat for 2-3 minutes and add the cubed onions.
- Add the capsicum and fried chicken and toss together. Cover and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce (soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli powder, and vinegar) with 2 tablespoons water.
- Add the sauces to the chicken on high heat. Again toss well till the sauce coats the chicken.
- Continue tossing everything for a minute or two and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately!
These are just a few out of many easy, healthy and diet chicken recipes.
Here are some Meal Ideas You Can Cook in Just 3 Ingredients!
Make sure you follow the below-mentioned points that will help you to get the best out of chicken for weight loss.
- Try to have local farm-raised a chicken or organically raised chicken.
- Grill, stir-fry or add them in stews for maximum benefits.
- Boneless and skinless chicken breasts make for the leanest and fat-free cuts.
- To gain maximum nutrition without compromising on the flavour and taste, broiling, grilling or baking are the healthiest styles of cooking.
- Never miss balancing the chicken with healthy fruits, veggies and whole grains. It lends a more holistic nutrient value to your meal and also increases your chances of a healthy weight loss.
We would love to see what you chose to cook. Don't forget to share the pictures too! Also, don’t forget to share your favourite recipes in the Cooking & Recipes community. Get crazy good kitchen hacks and cooking tips from our home chefs!