With the risk of heart disease on the rise, people are opting for the healthiest way of cooking their favorite recipes. Today, chicken is viewed as a healthy choice compared to red meat and is the preferred choice for non-vegetarians.
Here, we shall see some healthy chicken recipes and the best way to cook them. Chicken is a great source of protein and if cooked the healthy way, can be beneficial in several ways.
What is the healthiest way to cook chicken for weight loss?
Chicken is the most popular meat for people aiming for weight loss as it is low in carbohydrates and unhealthy or saturated fats. A simple way of cooking a chicken dish that retains its nutritional value is now being widely adopted among fitness-conscious people.
However, the nutritional value of the chicken dish depends on the chicken cut used and the cooking method. Chicken recipes for weight loss often use boneless chicken breasts as they have fewer calories compared to others.
Chicken cooks are using the following few healthy ways to cook chicken:
Poaching chicken
You can poach chicken without adding oil or added fat. The pieces are immersed in a liquid along with seasoning, spices, and aromatic herbs.
You may use broth, wine, or coconut milk as the liquid in which the chicken is poached. You need to constantly check the internal temperature of the chicken.
When the temperature reaches 165 degrees F, it means your dish is ready. You can now enjoy the healthy dish.
Grilling chicken
Soak the chicken in a marinade for a few hours. Coat them lightly with healthy oil and put them on the grill.
Ideally, the inside should be moist and juicy while the outside preferably must have a char to enhance its taste. It is a simple way to cook a tasty yet easy dish in minutes.
Baking chicken in the oven
Baking is an easy and quick way to rustle up a healthy chicken recipe. As with grilling, brush the pieces lightly with oil after seasoning them well with red onions, herbs, and spices.
Adding vegetables makes it healthier. For perfect roast chicken, you must see that its internal temperature is 180 degrees F.
Stir-Fried chicken
Sauteing chicken with a variety of fresh vegetables on a skillet in a little oil is another healthy way of cooking chicken.
Is frying chicken healthy compared to grilling?
Frying chicken is certainly not a healthy cooking option compared to grilling. The process of frying requires too much oil for the chicken to be cooked well inside while being crispy outside.
Chicken when deep-fried may be delicious, but it cannot be referred to as a healthy food option. However, if prepared in an air fryer instead of deep frying, you can enjoy the goodness of fried chicken using minimal oil.
Also, shallow-fried chicken with veggies is a perfect accompaniment to your meal.
Is it better to fry or grill chicken?
Grilling is among the most common ways to cook chicken. It can be healthy if you are careful about the quality and quantity of oil you use.
You may use olive oil, which is sourced from plants and is low in unsaturated fats. It is a healthy oil and is your best option.
Instead of slathering the chicken pieces with a generous amount of oil, you can simply brush the oil over them. The result is an equally delicious but much healthier grilled chicken dish that you can enjoy.
For enhanced flavor, you may marinate the chicken with spices and herbs and cover it with aluminum foil a few hours before. It helps the meat retain the juices.
What is the healthiest way to cook chicken breast?
Among all the cuts, chicken breast has the least calories and is the most popular choice for health-conscious folks. However, the skin over the chicken breast contains fat and must be avoided.
The skinless chicken breast can be safely said to be the cut with the least calorific value. It is also the most expensive of all cuts of chicken.
Chicken breasts along with chicken wings are the white meat cuts. They have lesser calories than dark meat cuts such as drumsticks and chicken thighs.
What is healthier baked or grilled chicken?
The three healthiest ways to cook chicken breast are baking, grilling, and sautéing. Ideally, you must use thin slices of chicken breast or pound them into a quarter of an inch thickness.
A baked chicken breast adds protein, iron, and potassium to your meal without being too high on calories. You can make a sumptuous yet healthy baked chicken using several recipes.
One of the healthy chicken breast recipes is in which you season the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, and little oil. Place the pieces on a baking pan and cook them in the oven at a high temperature.
Let it rest for five minutes. The delicious yet easy dish is ready!
What is the healthiest way to cook chicken on stove?
There are many healthy recipes that you can follow to cook chicken breasts on the stove. You can make your dish healthier by limiting the use of oil and by using lots of seasonal vegetables.
Pan-seared chicken breast is among the healthiest dishes that you can cook on the stove. In less than half an hour, you can prepare this healthy recipe that the entire family will enjoy.
What is the healthiest way to grill chicken: sauce or no sauce?
The most basic rule for a healthy grilled chicken recipe is to use a healthy oil like olive oil and that too in limited quantity. Also, you can increase its nutritive value by removing the chicken skin.
The barbecue sauce is an integral part of grilled chicken. It enhances the flavor and taste of the dish which is in most cases, a family favorite.
Its sweet and tangy taste comes from the tomatoes that are primarily used in making the sauce. However, it does contain added sugar.
If you check the label of your favorite barbecue sauce, you will see that an added sweetener is its major ingredient. Also, the extra flavor comes from its high sodium content.
Which method of cooking chicken is the healthiest?
Everyone uses the sauce to coat the grilled pieces of chicken and so its consumption is limited. Also, the base of the sauce is tomatoes which have many health benefits.
As long as you do not overindulge too much in the sauce, it does no harm. Though, grilled chicken without sauce is certainly the healthier option of the two.
Is boiling chicken healthy or best grilled?
Boiled chicken in itself may be bland, but it is a healthy oil-free option. You can use shredded boiled chicken in a salad along with other vegetables and seeds.
With proper seasoning and accompaniments, it can be equally flavorsome. While grilling chicken, your cooking process determines how healthy your food is.
If you limit the use of oil while cooking, you will have a healthy dish. If you do not have grilled chicken too frequently, and you eat a limited quantity at a time, it can be a healthy option.
What is the healthiest way to cook chicken: bodybuilding program?
Bodybuilders need protein-rich diets that pack the maximum amino acids per 100 grams(3.5 ounces). Besides protein, their diet must also include healthy fatty acids, carbohydrates, and micronutrients as they need food that helps them build muscles.
The healthiest chicken dish for bodybuilders is boiled chicken which has the highest muscle-building nutrients. Typically, a piece of boiled chicken contains nearly 82% protein and 12% fat.
The most preferred cut of chicken among bodybuilders is the skinless chicken breast. They avoid the skin on the chicken breast as it contains too much fat.
According to The American Heart Association, a 3.5-ounce skinless chicken breast has 165 calories with 31 grams of protein and 3.6 grams of fat. While a 3.5-ounce cooked chicken breast with skin contains 197 calories with 30 grams of protein and 7.8 grams of fat.
Is grilling chicken healthy more so than boiling?
Grilling chicken can be healthy if you make sure that you use chicken pieces with no skin. Usually, people prefer the crispy skin on the grilled chicken for added texture.
The skin also keeps the meat soft and juicy inside. Since the chicken skin is fatty, it will not be as healthy as a skinless portion.
Also, it depends on whether you generously drizzle oil over the pieces to be grilled or lightly brush them with oil. Using a healthy oil enhances your dish’s health value.
FAQ relating to what is the healthiest way to eat chicken.
What is the most healthy way to eat chicken?
Poaching chicken in a broth or any liquid is the healthiest way to eat chicken as it contains no added oil.
What are healthy ways to cook chicken?
There are numerous healthy ways to cook chicken such as poaching, boiling, baking, grilling, and sautéing.
What is healthier: grilled or baked chicken?
Baked chicken involves a slow cooking process in a slow cooker in medium heat while grilling allows you to cook in very high temperatures,
Grilled chicken may be slightly healthier because, in this process, the oil drips away from the chicken pieces.
What is the healthiest way to make chicken breast?
A poached, baked, or pan-seared chicken breast are all healthy options. You may select the healthiest method based on your personal choice.