MyPlate-Inspired Chicken

1405 MP: Tomatillo-Braised Chicken Thighs

Photo: Andrew Purcell

Enjoy our favorite MyPlate-inspired chicken recipes, which use grilled, baked, roasted, and even oven-fried chicken as the base for a variety of healthy, protein-packed meal options.

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Nutritious Chicken Recipes

Photo: John Autry

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit the MyPlate website.

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Cobb Salad Tacos

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Cobb Salad Tacos

Adding a tortilla transforms this American salad into a fun, portable meal. Choose a pungent blue cheese, like Roquefort, for a strong hit of flavor, or go with milder Gorgonzola for just a touch.

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Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

The marinade infuses dark-meat chicken with a light coconut flavor; flaked coconut in the breading heightens the nutty taste. Find panko in your supermarket's ethnic food aisle.

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Chicken Noodle Bowl

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Chicken Noodle Bowl

This Asian-inspired chicken noodle bowl is full of flavor from a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil mixed with fresh snap peas.

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Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Other fruit preserves, such as apricot, blackberry, or peach, will also work in this rich, easy-to-make, chicken recipe.

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Porcini-Dusted Chicken Scaloppine

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Porcini-Dusted Chicken Scaloppine

This dish puts dried porcini mushroom powder to use as a flavorful coating for chicken cutlets. If fresh porcini or chanterelle mushrooms are available, use them for the sauce. Serve with steamed haricots verts and garlic mashed potatoes.

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Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

Bring the heat of the southwest to the dinner table with a delicious take on the weeknight meal of grilled chicken. Serve with chipotle rice.

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Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Chile paste and fresh ginger add just the right amount of heat to this flavorful stir-fry, which will add a little zip to your weeknight dinner rotation.

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Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas

A rich mixture of Monterey Jack cheese, grilled chicken, and fresh veggies will make these quesadillas a hit with everyone in the family.

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Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

The tangy-sweet flavor combination of this sauce will work equally well with chicken thighs or pork. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed haricots verts or a tossed green salad.

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Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

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.

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Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken Breasts with Cucumber Salad

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken Breasts with Cucumber Salad

Sweet and savory, this chicken and fresh cucumber salad combo is under 250 calories and will leave you full and satisfied.

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Grilled Chicken with Mint and Pine Nut Gremolata

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Mint and Pine Nut Gremolata

Cover your basic grilled chicken with a zesty herb topping for an anything-but-average meal. It also works well over steak or fish.

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Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

Make these easy barbecue pulled chicken sliders by pairing shredded rotisserie chicken with homemade barbecue sauce for an easy weeknight meal.

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Apricot-Glazed Grilled Chicken

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Apricot-Glazed Grilled Chicken

Grilling chicken is an easy way to transform this humble food. You'll get the best results if you let the chicken stand out at room temperature before grilling.

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Chicken with Quick Chile Verde

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Chicken with Quick Chile Verde

If you can’t find fresh tomatillos, substitute canned whole tomatillos and use less salt. Grilled lime wedges are a zesty garnish.

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Grilled Chicken Tostadas

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tostadas

This dish gives a Southwestern accent to the American summertime classic, grilled chicken. For more intensity, pickle the onions overnight.

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Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Play up the buffalo chicken theme with a side of celery sticks and light ranch dressing.

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Chicken-Matzo Ball Soup

Photo: Con Poulos

View Recipe: Chicken-Matzo Ball Soup

For a shortcut version of this recipe, use store-bought, unsalted chicken stock instead of making your own.

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Chicken with Olives and Lemons

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Chicken with Olives and Lemons

Briny olives and tart lemons combine with fresh herbs for a Mediterranean-influenced chicken dish. Serve with hot cooked orzo.

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Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs with Mango Slices

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs with Mango Slices

For a colorful accompaniment to this hearty chicken dish, add mini bell peppers to the broiler pan with the skewers.

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Grilled Chicken with Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Photo: Squire Fox

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

You can also use 8 thighs or 8 drumsticks or 4 pieces of each; cook about 10 minutes per side.

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Mango-Serrano Drumettes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Mango-Serrano Drumettes

If the skillet gets crowded, brown the chicken in batches.

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Sticky Chile Drumettes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Sticky Chile Drumettes

This recipe is similar to our Garlic-Buffalo Drumettes but has a sweet-tangy flavor and a little more spice.

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Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpie

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpie

Your family will adore the fluffy deliciousness of this potpie's biscuit topping.

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Chicken and Pierogi Dumplings

Photo: Grant Cornett

View Recipe: Chicken and Pierogi Dumplings

Pierogies are the comfort dumplings of all comfort dumplings. We just chickened them up. The browned veggies lend color and flavor to the sauce; be sure to keep them moving in the pan so they don't get too brown.

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Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Photo: Grant Cornett

View recipe: Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Take these in your lunch box for an tasty, energy-packed meal to keep you going the rest of the day.

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Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

These meatballs make a terrific party snack. Look for flat skewers at Asian markets, or use two skewers for each group of meatballs so they'll turn easier.

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Roasted Chicken with Mustard Greens

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Roasted Chicken with Mustard Greens

You can easily substitute kale or spinach for the mustard greens if you would prefer.

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Green Curry Fritters

Photo: Raymond Hom

View Recipe: Green Curry Fritters

Talk about flavor! Green curry paste (found in the Asian-foods section) and chile paste impart tons of savory-spicy-fragrant hits to ground chicken.

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Chicken and Dumplings

Photo: Daniel Taylor

View Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings

This lightened-up classic—beloved in both the South and the Midwest—is satisfying enough to be a one-dish meal. This particular recipe is based off of the more biscuit-like Midwestern version of dumplings.

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Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Rich Pan Sauce

Photo: Tara Donne

View Recipe: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Rich Pan Sauce

To calibrate yourself to be a better cook, learn to use all of your senses throughout the process. For the richest sauce, use a stainless steel pan; the browned bits that stick to the bottom provide flavor.

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Open-Faced Chicken Sandwiches with Green Pea Spread

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Open-Faced Chicken Sandwiches with Green Pea Spread

Frozen peas and arugula offer a little taste of spring, even in cooler months.

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Chicken and Mushroom Empanada

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Chicken and Mushroom Empanada

The empanadas can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to bake. For less heat, seed the jalapeño peppers after roasting.

Have a filling you want to make but need an empanada dough recipe? This Whole-Wheat Empanada Dough is light and flaky and can be baked rather than fried. Wine in the recipe adds yeast flavor and aids in flakiness; its acidity also breaks down the gluten, allowing you to stretch the dough easily when forming the empanadas.

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Sticky Soy-Hoisin Chicken Thighs

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Sticky Soy-Hoisin Chicken Thighs

These chicken thighs are messy, but that's part of the fun. Serve with steamed sugar snap peas and hot cooked rice tossed with green onions.

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Glazed Chicken with Almond Quinoa

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Glazed Chicken with Almond Quinoa

For a sweeter profile, substitute apricot jam for the red pepper jelly.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

This budget-friendly dinner runs just $2.36 per serving. Serve with 2 cups of hot cooked brown rice.

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Savory Pan-Fried Chicken with Hot Sauce

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

View Recipe: Savory Pan-Fried Chicken with Hot Sauce

This simple recipe is a revelation: It tastes as good as the old-school, supersavory chicken you'd get in a bucket.

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Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr

View Recipe: Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are a fresh alternative to pancakes or tortillas. If you can't find Bibb lettuce, iceberg will work.

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Four Citrus-Herb Chicken

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart

View Recipe: Four Citrus-Herb Chicken

Citrus zest perfumes the chicken while it marinates. A fresh salsa of citrus segments and herbs doubles down on fruit flavor. The natural sugar from the citrus in the marinade creates a caramelized glaze on the roasted chicken while the serrano chiles add a layer of heat. Buying a whole chicken that still has the skin on and bones-ins will add a depth of flavor that skinless and boneless chicken breasts lack. Even though the chicken will be roasted in the oven, the citrus and herbs keep this dish very light and fresh. Pair with a fresh orzo or quinoa salad to let this zesty, roasted chicken shine as the main dish.

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Hazelnut Chicken

Photo: Stephen Devries

View Recipe: Hazelnut Chicken

Craving salty and crunchy chicken fingers? You can have them for dinner but this time they are covered in hazelnuts, crispy panko, with half the calories and so much more flavor. This oven-fried chicken recipe delivers full flavors of Dijon mustard, hazelnuts, sage, and red wine, and is ready in less than 40 minutes. If you don’t have ruby port, you can substitute it with a sweet red cooking wine such as dry sherry or Marsala wine. This is a weeknight chicken meal the whole family will enjoy with the crunchy, oven fried chicken and elevated port sauce - ketchup or a homemade ranch would pair well if children do not like the port sauce. Serve with roasted butternut squash as a side to complete the meal.

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Balsamic Chicken with Olives and Walnuts

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Balsamic Chicken with Olives and Walnuts

We dressed the bird boldly in this dish with briny olives and tangy-sweet vinegar.

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Chicken and Basil Rice Bowl With Cashews

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Chicken and Basil Rice Bowl With Cashews

Fresh basil perfumes the sauce in the stir-fry and makes a pretty garnish. You can substitute chopped unsalted peanuts for the cashews as well.

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Chicken Cutlets with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken Cutlets with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

Just a touch of butter gets the brandy-spiked sauce gorgeously glossy and adds an elegant touch to this simple supper.

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Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Sauce

As a variation to sautéing, you could grill the chicken thighs—a little charring would complement the sauce. No mortar and pestle? Process the paste base in a mini chopper.

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Chicken Tikka Masala

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Chicken Tikka Masala

This big-batch recipe is an unusual but brilliant choice for freezing. Moist chicken thighs hold up well, especially in the spicy tomato sauce.

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MyPlate-Inspired Chicken Recipes

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Nutritious Chicken Recipes

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Cobb Salad Tacos

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Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

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Chicken Noodle Bowl

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Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

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Porcini-Dusted Chicken Scaloppine

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Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

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Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

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Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas

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Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

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Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

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Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken Breasts with Cucumber Salad

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Grilled Chicken with Mint and Pine Nut Gremolata

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Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

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Apricot-Glazed Grilled Chicken

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Chicken with Quick Chile Verde

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Grilled Chicken Tostadas

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Buffalo Chicken Thighs

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Chicken-Matzo Ball Soup

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Chicken with Olives and Lemons

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Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs with Mango Slices

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Grilled Chicken with Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

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Mango-Serrano Drumettes

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Sticky Chile Drumettes

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Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpie

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Chicken and Pierogi Dumplings

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Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Ranch Dipping Sauce

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Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

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Roasted Chicken with Mustard Greens

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Green Curry Fritters

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Chicken and Dumplings

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Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Rich Pan Sauce

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Open-Faced Chicken Sandwiches with Green Pea Spread

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Chicken and Mushroom Empanada

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Sticky Soy-Hoisin Chicken Thighs

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Glazed Chicken with Almond Quinoa

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

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Savory Pan-Fried Chicken with Hot Sauce

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Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps