24 Mediterranean Diet Chicken Recipes That Are Full of Flavor
Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD
Packed with healthy fats, whole grains and veggies, the Mediterranean diet has been named the best overall diet by the U.S. News & World Report. This is partly due to its lack of restriction, overall diet quality and long-term sustainability. In other words, it's an eating pattern you'll feel full and satisfied with and can sustain for a lifetime if you so choose.
The Mediterranean diet is full of fresh ingredients like lemon, feta cheese, basil and olive oil. Recipes like Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta and Hasselback Caprese Chicken are packed with flavor and will make following this diet achievable and delicious.
Chicken, Feta & Cucumber Couscous Bowls
This dish combines nutrient-rich vegetables such as cucumber and tomato with protein sources like juicy chicken. It's quick, adaptable and reduces food waste, making it perfect for busy schedules. With couscous as a light and fluffy base, it offers a satisfying and nutritious meal option.
Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta
This rustic stew cooks all day in the slow cooker so you can come home to a comforting, hot dinner. Not a fan of polenta? Try this healthy chicken dinner over pasta instead.
Chicken with Spinach & Tomato Orzo Salad
Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean-inspired salad—packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade vinaigrette—for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts & Gnocchi
In this healthy dinner recipe, chicken thighs, Brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes and packaged gnocchi are all roasted on the same sheet pan for a complete meal that couldn't be easier to make. And though it's simple, this dish gets tons of flavor from seasonings, including garlic, oregano and red-wine vinegar. It all adds up to a dish that's ready to go into heavy weeknight rotation in your house.
Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto
This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are pressed for time, you can substitute three to four tablespoons of store-bought basil pesto.
One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta with Asparagus
This healthy chicken pesto pasta is easy to make thanks to convenience ingredients like rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto. The addition of fresh asparagus brightens up the look and the flavors of this family-friendly and easy one-pot dinner. Fresh basil, if you have it on hand, is a nice finishing touch.
Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken
Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy salad recipe while it's still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also make your own tangy vinaigrette.
Hasselback Caprese Chicken
Using the hasselback technique—cutting crosswise slits every half-inch along the chicken breast—cooks the chicken faster and ensures you get a burst of flavorful gooey filling with each bite. This quick one-pan high-protein and veggie-packed dinner is easy to make and the whole family will love it.
Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber
Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.
Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. It's a quick and easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Chickpea Soup
This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.
Sheet-Pan Chicken with Roasted Spring Vegetables & Lemon Vinaigrette
This Greek-inspired chicken and vegetable sheet-pan meal is bursting with flavor. The chicken is coated in a mayonnaise and breadcrumb mixture, roasted alongside asparagus, cremini mushrooms and grape tomatoes then served with a lemon-feta vinaigrette.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Orzo with Tomatoes & Olives
Perk up basic chicken breast and whole-wheat orzo with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean, like lemon and olives. This load-and-go recipe makes a complete and satisfying meal; just add a green salad.
Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Chicken
These healthy Greek-inspired cauliflower rice bowls topped with feta, olives, veggies and grilled chicken are impressive, yet take just 30 minutes to make.
Chicken & Vegetable Souvlaki with Barley Pilaf & Tzatziki
This recipe combines two popular components of Greek cuisine: souvlaki and tzatziki. Souvlaki consists of skewered, grilled meat, and tzatziki is a yogurt-based sauce traditionally served with grilled meats.
Chicken & Cucumber Pita Sandwiches with Yogurt Sauce
Cucumbers do double duty in this healthy Greek-inspired chicken pita recipe—they're grated to lend a refreshing flavor to the quick cucumber-yogurt sauce and sliced to provide cool crunch tucked into the pita. Serve these sandwiches for a healthy dinner or light lunch.
Chicken Cutlets with Tomatoes & Olives
This saucy one-skillet chicken dish is full of tomatoes, spinach, olives and capers. Try Kalamata olives in place of the green Castelvetranos or a combination of both. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a mixed green salad on the side.
Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad
Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal that's high in fiber and offers plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale
This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.
Skillet Chicken with Orzo & Tomatoes
In this one-skillet chicken recipe, chicken thighs are infused with lemon, garlic and herbs and paired with orzo that's perfectly al dente. Charred tomatoes and onions add full flavor to complete this easy dinner.
Herb-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables & White Beans
Herb-coated roasted chicken is served with a bounty of roasted vegetables and beans in this Mediterranean-inspired main dish. Serve with a slice of crusty bread.
Garlic Chicken Thighs with Olives & Potatoes
Bright-green Castelvetrano olives hail from Sicily and have a buttery flavor and meaty texture that pair perfectly with the Italian seasoning and salty capers in this one-skillet chicken dinner. Look for them on your supermarket olive bar or in jars with Italian ingredients.
Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Feta cheese, roasted peppers, spinach and more, provide amazing flavor to these Mediterranean-inspired stuffed chicken breasts. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing it in the oven ensures that this healthy baked chicken recipe cooks evenly throughout.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Noodle Soup
This slow-cooker chicken noodle soup fits nicely into the Mediterranean diet thanks to plenty of vegetables, lean chicken breast and whole-wheat pasta. Pair it with a salad and toasted whole-grain bread for an easy, healthy dinner.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
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