Healthy Chicken Recipes

Arugula Pesto Chicken

 Arugula_Pesto_Chicken
Arugula Pesto Chicken
photo by recipe author

 

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Chicken:

Arugula Pesto:

  • 4 cups fresh arugula
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

In a bowl, combine chicken breasts, olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasonings and minced garlic. Toss to coat.

Grill chicken breasts over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Alternately, you can saute the chicken breasts in a large skillet over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, combine arugula, basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a food processor. While greens are blending, drizzle in coconut oil. Blend until smooth.

Slice chicken breasts and place over zucchini pasta. Top with arugula pesto and tomato slices. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Make your own zucchini pasta using a julienne peeler, vegetable peeler or mandolin.

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Zesty Chicken and Veggies

zesty-chicken-broccoli
Zesty Chicken and Veggies
photo by recipe author

 

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 cups spinach, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Italian dressing
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a large skillet, saute chicken in coconut oil for about 10 minutes, turning once. Add mushrooms, broccoli, garlic, tomatoes and spinach. Drizzle dressing over everything and sprinkle salt and pepper over mixture. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through. 

Great served with brown rice, and a fresh green salad.

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Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice with Coconut Oil

Pineapple_Chicken_Fried_Rice_with_Coconut_Oil
Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice with Coconut Oil
photo by recipe author

 

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 mins

  • 2 cups uncooked rice
  • 3 pieces chicken tenderloin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 whole fresh pineapple
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
  • 1 scallion
  • 2 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons fermented soy sauce

Cook rice and set aside.

Tenderize chicken with the meat mallet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Pan sear the chicken until fully cooked through. Rip chicken apart with 2 forks and set aside.

Cut the pineapple into small chunks. Finely mince the garlic and ginger. Chop the scallion.

Heat up a deep skillet or a wok with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and stir fry the finely minced ginger and garlic with the chopped scallions and pineapple for 2 minutes. Before you take out pineapple add 2 teaspoons of fermented soy sauce and mix well. Put all the pineapple in a separate bowl and set aside.

Heat up the pan again with 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. Put in the rice, pineapple and chicken. Stir fry until well mixed, season with salt to taste and serve.

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Thai Coconut Curry

Thai_Coconut_Curry
Thai Coconut Curry
photo by recipe author

 

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Marinated Meat:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or approximately 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped raw chicken, or about 1 pound thinly sliced beef or meat of your choice
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground, or freshly grated
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch or arrowroot starch, optional

Sauteed Vegetables:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 thinly sliced bell pepper
  • 1 large peeled and coined carrot

Curry Paste:

Sauce:

Mix all marinated meat ingredients together in a container with a cover, and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

In a medium skillet, melt the coconut oil over high heat and saute onion, bell pepper and carrot until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the veggies and keep warm in a covered bowl.

In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add the marinated meat and saute over medium high heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Lower heat to medium and push the meat to one side of the pan. Add the curry paste ingredients to the open side of the skillet and stir together until combined.

Add coconut milk to the skillet. Add the salt and sugar and stir thoroughly to incorporate curry paste. Cook over medium heat until beginning to boil, stirring continuously. Add the veggies and the basil, if using. Serve hot over Jasmine rice.

*For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

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General Tso Chicken

General_Tso_Chicken
General Tso Chicken
photo by recipe author

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

In a large skillet, heat coconut oil, meanwhile in a large bowl, combine arrowroot starch, salt and pepper. Toss chicken chunks in starch mixture until coated. Place chicken chunks in skillet and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.

In bowl with remaining starch, add in about 1/4 cup stock, honey and vinegar and whisk to form a paste. Add paste mixture to skillet. Slowly add in remaining stock while stirring over medium heat. Add in garlic, ginger, organic fermented soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and dried chili peppers. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken, stirring frequently. Serve over warm quinoa or rice.

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Loaded Chicken Veggie Soup

Loaded_Chicken_Veggie_Soup
Loaded Chicken Veggie Soup
photo by recipe author

Servings: 6
Preparation Time:  50 minutes

In a large stock pot, brown chicken in coconut oil over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Add in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are soft.

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Vietnamese Chicken Curry

Vietnamese_Chicken_Curry
Vietnamese Chicken Curry
photo by recipe author

Servings: 8-10
Preparation Time:  1- 1.5 hours

Optional:

  • Annatto Seed Oil (For a more authentic dish. The oil gives an attractive red color and slight nutty flavor)
  • 3 tablespoons annatto seed
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1/2 lb potatoes
  • 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
  • 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 2-3 inches pieces
  • 1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs), cut into 2-3 inches pieces
  • 1 big onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 3-4 inches, cut lengthwise, smashed/bruised to release more fragrance
  • 1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs), cut into 2-3 inches pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups coconut milk*
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 3-4 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons good black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Chicken Dipping Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons good black pepper
  • juice of half a lime.
  • cilantro, for garnish
  • thai chillies, for garnish
  • toasted baguettes or steamed white rice

For Annatto Oil (if using): Heat oil on a pan on medium-low heat. Add annatto seeds and stir. As you keep stirring, the seed will release a rich red color. Strain and discard the seed. Be careful of the hot oil!

Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil on a pan on medium heat. Stir-fry potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a deep pot on medium heat. Stir-fry onion, garlic, curry powder and lemongrass until fragrant. Add in annatto oil (if using), chicken, salt and fry until brown. (Lower heat if needed)

Add coconut milk, chicken stock, bay leaves into the pot. Adjust the amount and ratio of coconut milk and stock on your preference. For a creamier, more decadent curry, add 3 cups of coconut milk to 2 cups of stock and vice versa. Add more or less liquid depends whether you prefer curry with more sauce/broth or less.

Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots. Everything should be submerged in the stock.

Bring curry into a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken, potatoes, and carrot are tender and stock has reduced.

Add salt, pepper and/or sugar to your taste.

Garnish with cilantro and red thai chilies. Serve hot with toasted baguettes or steamed white rice or rice noodles.

For the dipping sauce: combine everything and stir.

* For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

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Gluten Free Shrimp Dumplings

Gluten_Free_Shrimp_Dumplings
Gluten Free Shrimp Dumplings
photo by recipe author

Servings: 4
Preparation Time:  25 minutes

Place all of your ingredients except the stock in a food processor, and pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth.

Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes so it will firm up.

In a deep skillet or a wok pan, heat about a quart of stock to a simmer–you want at least two inches of liquid to be able to poach the dumplings.

When the stock comes to a simmer, use two spoons to form the shrimp mixture into ovals, and drop them into the stock. Repeat until you have a total of 8. Let them simmer for 6-8 minutes, turning them once. Do not let the stock boil, just keep it at a simmer.

Once the dumplings are cooked through, either drain them well before browning them in coconut oil to serve as an appetizer, or add lightly steamed vegetables to the pot and serve the dumplings hot as a soup course.

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