300-Calorie Chicken Recipes

Here's a sumptuous new spin on the classic. This quick, make-ahead salad comes from Cooking That Counts: 1,200- to 1,500-Calorie Meal Plans to Lose Weight Deliciously ($22, Oxmoor House). Serve it over a bed of greens or with a side of veggies and multigrain crackers.

Brick-pressed chicken cooks quickly and evenly, a great boon to a barbecue host. The key is to spatchcock—or butterfly—the bird, and then press it down flat on the grill with a foil-wrapped brick or cast-iron skillet.

The can method keeps the bird moist while it grills because liquid in the can forms steam inside the cavity. Any canned beverage will work, since it won't really impart any noticeable flavor to the chicken. We like the bright, tangy flavor of good old-fashioned yellow mustard here.

A generous splash of light coconut milk enriches this dairy-free chowder, making it creamy while offering a faint sweet flavor that enhances the sweetness of the corn. A spoonful of flour also helps to thicken the broth; for a gluten-free version, you can try substituting 11/2 teaspoons cornstarch (you might need to simmer longer to get it to thicken). If you have leftover chicken or a rotisserie bird on hand, you can always use that instead of starting with raw chicken; you’ll want to use about 2 cups shredded or chopped chicken.

If ground turkey is a staple protein in your kitchen, try ground chicken—the blend of light breast and rich thigh meat is just as flavorful and quick-cooking. A cast-iron skillet helps with browning, but any large skillet will do. True to most stir-frying techniques, we separate the tough stems of the bok choy from the tender leaves and cook them first so that everything has just the right doneness. One large bok choy can stand in for the baby ones; be sure to trim off the wide, fibrous ends and cut the stems into thin slices. Serve with Scallion-and-Cilantro Barley to make a hearty grain bowl.

Many traditional barbecue sauce recipes start with ketchup—a great base because it’s already thick and sweet. Here, we use hoisin sauce as the starting point of a citrus-spiked BBQ sauce; it works just as well as ketchup, lending sweet, salty notes with warm spice notes of star anise. We look to 2 kinds of citrus for big flavor boosts: orange juice for mellow sweetness and lime juice for tang. You can also substitute cider or white vinegar for lime juice if you don’t have that fruit on hand. Be sure to line the baking pan with foil coated with cooking; the sticky-sweet sauce would make a hard-to-clean mess if it went directly on the pan.

This recipe yields a big pot of brothy soup that you can make ahead and enjoy for a couple of days; the flavor just gets better over time. You may be wary of the large amount of garlic, but keep in mind that it mellows considerably after being cooked.

Complete the meal with hot cooked brown rice and thinly sliced cucumber and carrots.

Cooked quinoa won't swell in the soup overnight liked cooked pasta. Make a day or two ahead, and refrigerate. Serve with Ricotta and Sweet Pea Toasts.

Classic potpies use several pans to simmer and sauté vegetables, build a sauce, and bake the pie. The skillet does it all here, and it is the perfect size for a golden, flaky piecrust lid. No chicken collection is complete without a potpie. You can substitute diced Yukon Gold potatoes and kale or chard for the turnips and turnip greens.

Think of posole as chili’s brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also another name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish. Starchy, slightly chewy hominy will hold up during the long simmer while the onion and poblano pepper release their flavor into the stock and become tender. Rather than add the tomatillo at the beginning, we stir it in just before serving for a bright, bracing contrast to the stew. Tomatillos have a firm texture similar to unripe or green tomatoes that is also welcome here. If you can’t find tortilla strips, you can use lightly crushed corn tortilla chips.

We took the finger-licking beauty of a Buffalo wing experience and wrapped it in a tortilla—because that's how you win a weeknight.

Stash a batch in the freezer for a faster, fresher, veggie-packed alternative to takeout. For an easier dumpling shape, fold wrapper in half over filling to form a half-moon; press well to seal edges.

To Freeze: Add vegetables to stock mixture; cool completely. Freeze stock mixture and dumplings separately in large zip-top plastic freezer bags.

To Thaw: Microwave stock mixture at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 to 4 minutes or until bag is pliable.

To Reheat: Pour stock mixture into a large Dutch oven; simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add frozen wontons; cook 3 minutes.

If watermelon wedges are a mainstay at your summer cookouts, try dicing for this instant, gorgeous salad. The sweetness of the fruit pairs beautifully with the smoky rotisserie chicken and fresh mint to create a summertime staple that will keep the family asking for seconds.

Flecked with peppery watercress, these soft chicken dumplings make for a slurpy-good appetizer soup. Be sure to use regular ground chicken (not chicken breast) for the best flavor and texture. For this recipe, you'll be making the nurse's cap dumpling shape. The sauce, all the fillings, and the broth for this soup can be made a day or two ahead of the party. If making dumplings just for you and your family, you can double up and freeze a batch of uncooked dumplings. No need to thaw before cooking—just add an extra minute or two to the cook time.

If you're using a charcoal grill, skip the foil pan and add the chips to the coals. Look for granulated garlic in the spice aisle, or substitute 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Amber agave syrup has a deeper flavor than the more neutral, light-colored varieties.

Once you've made your own veggie-packed pot of chicken noodle soup, you won't go back to the canned, supersalty stuff again.

We like warm taco filling, but if you're going for something a little cooler and more refreshing, skip step 1 and drizzle the salsa over assembled tacos. Add even more color and personality to the tacos with additional toppings like avocado, red onion, or Cotija cheese.

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

Leftover chicken makes a perfect hearty protein for a quick, no cook lunch. Here, we combine it with sliced radishes, baby bok choy, and dried apricots, for a delicious Asian salad packed with fresh flavor.

The torn romaine lettuce wilts just slightly in the soup and has a lighter, fresher, less earthy flavor than heartier greens like spinach or kale. Slice the carrot the same shape and thickness as the leek so you get a balance of both vegetables in every spoonful.

Chicken Enchiladas are the ultimate in family-favorite dishes. Chicken breasts are poached in a highly-flavored liquid; then the liquid does double duty as a sauce when mixed with salsa verde and whipping cream and spooned over the chicken-filled tortillas.

Fennel's licorice-y sweetness is a great match for juicy citrus and salty feta. But if it's not your favorite, swap the fennel out in favor of thinly sliced red onion.

The tandoor, India’s wood-fired clay oven, turns out fantastic barbecued chicken. An ordinary outdoor grill with a tight-fitting lid and prepared for indirect heat mimics the gentle heat of the authentic clay ovens. Tandoori chicken originated in the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan and get its traditional red color from ground chiles.  

Saltimbocca means “ jump in the mouth”—apt for a fast dish that marries woodsy sage, bright lemon, and salty prosciutto. Serve over a bed of angel hair pasta or polenta.

This colorful orzo and chicken main-dish salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy lemon dressing.

Beer gives tremendous flavor to this chicken. Opt for an inexpensive, full-flavored domestic beer, like Blue Moon wheat ale.

Get the crispy taste of fried chicken for less than 300 calories. For a flavor swap, use pecans in place of the walnuts.

Be sure to look for artichoke hearts that are canned in brine, not oil.

For a quick dinner that's full of distinctive Thai flavor, offer this delicious, comforting soup. You can use kale or spinach in place of bok choy.

Let this simple soup warm you up during the chillier months. You can also use this recipe as a template for other chicken and veggie soups.

Serve skewers with hot cooked couscous. Give the couscous nutty flavor by toasting it in a hot pan before you rehydrate it.

Into the pot go broth, chicken, vegetables, and other fresh ingredients. Out comes pure comfort.

Tweak this recipe for kids by adding a little honey to the pan sauce. Serve with roasted potatoes and green beans.

Chicken shows its versatility with tangy BBQ flavors, peppery arugula, or 3 cheeses.

Variations: 
If you like Arugula try: Chicken, Arugula, and Prosciutto Pizza
If you like Parmesan try: Three-Cheese Chicken Pizza

Chicken is pure lean protein (use a good brand for chickeny flavor). Cherries and nectarines lend a sweet-tart counterpoint. Brown rice adds whole-grain goodness.

Lettuce wraps make for a fresh burst of crunch and flavor, or spoon the stir-fry over rice. Look for fish sauce in your grocery store's Asian foods section.

Ready in under 30 minutes, this chicken chili really is fast, but will smell and taste like you spent hours working away in the kitchen.

This roast chicken with balsamic bell peppers dish adds Italian flair to your dinner table in just 40 minutes.

This soup tastes like it was on Grandma’s stove for hours. Test Kitchen staffer Adam Hickman’s secret weapon: “Salty miso enriches the broth.”

Try also using this filling for tacos, quesadillas, or nachos. Adults can spike it with jalapeños.

Time: 30 minutes

Simple Sub: Try pork tenderloin in place of chicken thighs.

Serve with Mango Slaw: Combine 4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw, 1 cup chopped mango, and ¼ cup vertically sliced red onion in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup canola mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt; toss well to coat.

Chef Boyce (Cotton Row and Commerce Kitchen, Huntsville, Ala.) remembers his father's chicken from weekly family barbecues when he was a kid. Our take amps up flavor with a balsamic reduction and cooks the chicken on the stovetop and in the oven for better control over doneness. With skin on and bone-in chicken breasts make sure to brown the chicken before putting it in the oven. The skin will be crispy and the chicken will be fully cooked and tender with the bone-in. These classic flavors of chopped shallots, garlic cloves, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar will elevate your weeknight chicken dinner. Make sure to finish your roasted chicken with green onions to brighten the complete dish.  

Our gumbo-style soup removes the roux step (saving as much as an hour) and instead uses aromatics sautéed with tomato paste for a toasty flavor foundation. Serve with a crusty baguette for mopping up every last delicious drop.

This is a true fiesta in a bowl. This soup is chock-full of the southwestern flavors we all love. Serve this showstopper with a garnish of lime.

In this chicken and butternut squash soup, sugary butternut squash and meaty chicken thighs remind us how well sweet and savory flavors play together in Moroccan cuisine.

Add a little variation to taco night and throw your favorite taco fillings on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce. Ready in just 25 minutes, you’ll have a flavorful, fresh taco salad that is sure to satisfy your Southwestern craving.