Whether you’re new to your weight loss journey or have been on it for a while, it can be challenging to find delicious, healthy recipes you enjoy. If you’re searching for a satisfying meal that won’t delay your weight loss progress, ground chicken is a top-tier ingredient for your lunches and dinners.
Ground chicken is typically lean and has plenty of protein, keeping you full longer, so you won’t find yourself snacking later in the day. It is also easy to cook on the stovetop, and you can use it in any recipe that calls for other ground meats, like beef.
We’re super excited to share these recipes with you so that you can stay on track with your goals. All of the options on the list are incredibly tasty and don’t require too much time to make them.
Our favorites include the ground chicken meatballs and burger recipes because they are the perfect balance of nutritious and flavorful. There are so many other types of dishes, too, such as stir-fry meals, nourish bowls, and one-pot skillet recipes.
Who would’ve thought there would be many ways to cook ground chicken? Let’s take a look at these meals more closely!
1. Cracked Chicken Burgers
The first option is our incredible chicken burgers. We know what you’re thinking, how can a burger help you lose weight? Well, these patties are made with fresh ingredients, so you’re not eating preservatives as you would find in pre-made patties. Our burgers also have bacon bits, two types of reduced-fat shredded cheese, garlic, and ranch seasoning. It’s safe to say that this meal is a showstopper!
2. Baked Ground Chicken Tacos
Who could pass up on a chicken taco with crunchy corn tortilla shells? This recipe is easy since you bake the tacos in the oven. It melts the cheese and gets the shells to the desired crispiness. The chicken is cooked on the stovetop with tons of seasonings, so you have flavor in every bite. You can finish it with toppings such as fresh shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, or avocado pieces.
3. Cheesy Zucchini Chicken Fritters
This recipe for zucchini and chicken fritters is a genius combination. The zucchini adds moisture to prevent dryness, while the chicken provides protein. You can add flavor with lemon juice, garlic, paprika, and other spices. After cooking the fritters until golden-brown, sprinkle some parmesan and savor the delicious taste! You can also dunk them in your favorite sauce or serve them with a light cucumber salad!
4. Healthy Greek Ground Chicken Bowls
We love healthy bowl recipes because they are easy to cook and customize. This dish by Unbound Wellness has three components: the chicken bowl, the tzatziki sauce, and the Greek salsa to go on top. The chicken is paired with cauliflower rice, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, and parsley. If you want, you can even turn the delicious bowl into a burrito and use low-carb tortillas to keep it nice and light.
5. Chicken Meatballs
Who said meatballs couldn’t be healthy? This recipe uses chicken breasts which you grind yourself using a food processor. However, if you buy the chicken pre-ground, you’re a step ahead! The meatballs have cilantro, black pepper, and cayenne flavors, so they have zesty and spicy undertones. You can serve them on a stick, on a salad, or alongside fresh vegetables! It only takes 30 minutes from beginning to end, which is great.
6. Ground Chicken Ramen Stir Fry
We love a good ramen just as much as the next person, so we had to share this healthy recipe! With ground chicken, green onions, snap peas, carrots, and onions, you receive many nutrients from veggies and meat. To top it all off, you have a garlicky ginger sauce with notes of sriracha and oyster sauce; yum! You can enjoy this for lunch or dinner since it is so versatile.
7. Teriyaki Ground Chicken Skillet with Spicy Mayo
Some of the components in this yummy meal are garlic, zucchini, scallions, coleslaw mix, and ground chicken. The slivered almonds really give it a much-needed crunch factor. Additionally, you have teriyaki sauce to balance out all of the flavors. You can also top it with sesame seeds if you wish! Lastly, the spicy mayo in this skillet dish brings the whole meal together. To keep it healthy, use light mayo!
8. Ground Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are an excellent way to keep the calorie count low while enjoying a delicious meal. This recipe by The Well Dressed Kitchen is packed with ingredients that are good for you. Some examples include ground chicken, tomatoes, black beans, green chilies, and garlic. As you can imagine, the combination of these foods creates a delicious experience for anyone who tries it. To top it off, use shredded cheese and melt it on top.
9. Easy Chicken Burrito Bowls
Our chicken burrito bowls are almost too good to be true. The bowl has rice, corn, reduced-fat shredded cheese, and avocado. We suggest you season the ground chicken with chili powder, coriander, onion powder, oregano, and more. You won’t even miss tortillas when you dig into this lovely nourish bowl! But if you want, top it with crispy tortilla strips. This is a wonderful option for when you want to meal prep for the week!
10. Ground Chicken Vegetable Bowls
Here is another ground chicken bowl recipe, but this one takes a different approach. It has cauliflower rice, bell peppers, zucchini, and onions. The barbeque sauce gives it flavor, but you can season the chicken too. Make sure to garnish it with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil before you serve it! The recipe only takes 15 minutes, which is great for hectic weeknights.
11. BBQ Chicken and Quinoa Skillet
You can’t go wrong with ingredients like yellow squash, red onions, ground chicken, and quinoa. This skillet dish uses low-sugar BBQ sauce to keep things healthy and also reduced-fat cheddar cheese to garnish. We love how this recipe is not only comforting but also keeps nutrition in mind. Don’t forget to melt the cheese on top before you dish it up! All you need to do is cover the skillet with a lid.
12. Sesame Ground Chicken
This tasty ground chicken dish has flavors of soy sauce, chili pepper sauce, and chicken broth. It also has toasted sesame oil, which gives it a deeper flavor. Although the recipe suggests adding brown sugar, we recommend using honey or another natural sweetener like agave to keep it healthier. Once that is done, garnish it with green onions! Serve it over rice, cauliflower rice, or with veggies.
13. Ground Chicken Caprese
Caprese usually has fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. However, this rendition has ground chicken, which makes it heartier. Not to mention, the components are served warm instead of cold. It also has balsamic vinegar to give it a bit of tang. Use cherry tomatoes or dice up whole tomatoes for the best results. Don’t forget to garnish it with parmesan cheese or extra herbs before you plate it!
14. Ground Chicken Taco Salad
It can be hard to find salad recipes that satisfy your hunger. However, this one by MySpicyKitchen has numerous nutritious ingredients that give it substance. For instance, it has ground chicken, red onions, olives, tomatoes, and kidney beans. The salad is plenty flavorful since you top it with thousand island dressing and salsa. We recommend you use reduced-fat cheddar cheese to top it off and give it that classic taco salad feel.
15. Thai Chicken Larb
Transform your ground chicken into Thai chicken with the help of larb sauce, which is made from fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. The recipe also has Serrano chilies, shallots, garlic, and red onions. The ground chicken becomes extra flavorful with the variety of ingredients in the dish. To make it even better, top it with fresh chopped mint and basil, which make it refreshing and give it a pop of color!
16. Healthy Chicken Meatballs with Florentine Sauce
These meatballs are impressively nutritious since they are made with extra lean ground chicken, spinach, and onions. The recipe also includes a delicious sauce that you can make with cream cheese and garlic. Pour the lovely sauce over the meatballs so they are extra juicy, and serve it with a side of veggies or a small salad. Although you can serve this for lunch, it works best as a comfort dish in the evenings.
17. Ground Chicken Casserole
This recipe by Little Pine Kitchen is clever because it helps you craft a hefty casserole while also considering the number of carbs it contains. For instance, you use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice. The ground chicken is paired with red onion, diced tomatoes, and green chili peppers. The cream cheese and cheddar cheese make the casserole extra creamy. You can always use reduced-fat cheeses if you wish!
18. Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Whenever you crave a sandwich, you can create a lettuce wrap instead, which makes the meal much lighter. This is a copycat recipe for a dish at PF Chang’s, specifically the chicken lettuce wraps. With ground chicken, mushrooms, garlic, and basil, your taste buds are met with savory and refreshing flavors. The best part is the sauce which you can make from scratch. Once you assemble the lettuce wraps, garnish them with green onions!
19. Weight Watchers Chicken Taco Soup
Our Weight Watchers chicken taco soup recipe is one of our favorites because it is filled with many yummy veggies and ground chicken. It also has beans, so combined with the meat, you have tons of protein to keep you satisfied. To give your soup a delicious taste similar to a freshly cooked taco, add some taco seasoning to it! Garnish the soup with any toppings you like. How about some avocado slices?
20. Healthy Chicken Patties
Serve these scrumptious chicken patties with homemade mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, or a nutritious salad. The patties complement many other foods because of these simple ingredients in them. Some of the best components include ground chicken, green onions, and parsley. If you don’t want to cook them in oil, you can always bake them in the oven! The best part is that it only takes about 30 minutes to complete.
21. Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken
If you’ve never tried zucchini boats, you are surely missing out. They are similar to stuffed bell peppers because you scoop out the insides of the squash to put filling in them. This recipe’s ingredients include ground chicken, onions, spinach, and mushrooms. Sprinkle on shredded mozzarella cheese and allow it to melt and become perfectly gooey. You can also top the zucchini boats with herbs to liven up the flavor!
22. Chicken Tacos
Looking for a quick meal to whip up for your family during the week? These ground chicken tacos are the perfect option. With onions, garlic, bell peppers, and corn tortillas, you are in for a treat. Of course, it doesn’t have to stop there; you can top them with all sorts of garnishes, ranging from homemade salsa to lettuce to cabbage shreds. These tacos are not only light, but their flavor is out of this world!
23. Caprese Chicken Meatloaf
This recipe proves that meatloaf doesn’t have to be boring. Although it only has a few simple ingredients, it is extremely tender and juicy. Plus, it has hints of fresh basil and mozzarella cheese, so what’s not to love? Serve it with steamed carrots and broccoli to make it a balanced meal! Then, you can always make a meatloaf sandwich with the leftovers!
24. Avocado Ranch Chicken Burgers
In this recipe, creamy avocado and ranch dressing balance this chicken burger’s savory essence. Our Salty Kitchen explains how to make a delectable ground chicken patty with green onions, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs. Once you cook the patties, top the burger with healthy toppings such as lettuce, tomato, and onion. If you want to skip out on the burger buns, you are welcome to turn this into a lettuce wrap, which is just as delish!
25. Baked Chicken Meatballs
Baking foods can be much better for you than cooking them in oil, which is why these ground chicken meatballs are perfect for watching your weight. They have black pepper, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, plus garlic and onion powder to provide them with plenty of flavor. There are unending ways to serve this! You can eat meatballs with mixed vegetables, a light soup, or even zucchini noodles.
26. One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice
We can’t help but love the one-pot meals that make it easy to get dinner on the table. Our Mexican chicken and rice recipe is a fantastic option because it is healthy with ingredients like ground chicken, peppers, onions, and tomatoes. We use reduced-fat shredded cheese, and the express rice makes the meal incredibly effortless! The best part is that it makes six servings, so there is plenty to go around.
26 Healthy Ground Chicken Recipes for Weight Loss
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Dash of Salt & pepper
- Pico de gallo *you can buy this pre-made or make it yourself.. 1 small tomato diced, 1/8 cup diced onion, 1 Tbsp diced jalapeno, little chopped fresh cilantro, 1 Tbsp lime juice, pinch of salt & pepper.
- 2 cups cooked rice *I used white rice and added a squeeze of fresh lime juice, any rice is fine, if following purple use brown rice for 0SP
- 1 cup corn *canned or frozen *cook according to package
- 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
- Sliced avocado *optional
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package, for 4 servings I made 2 cups of rice so each serving has 1/2 cup.
- Spray a large pan with some cooking spray and cook the ground chicken over medium heat, stir in all the seasonings and mix well, if it seems a little dry feel free to add a splash of water. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Cook the corn according to the package, you can also add black beans if you'd like.
- Make the pico de gallo if you did not buy this pre-made. Dice the tomato, onion and jalapeno pepper. Stir in the lime juice and salt/pepper. Add a little chopped cilantro.
- Now it is time to build the bowls, start with the rice and ground chicken, then add the pico de gallo, corn, shredded cheese (1/4 cup per bowl is what I used) and finish off with some avocado. These are great to make for meal prep, they will be good in the fridge for a few days, I would add the sliced avocado only when you are ready to eat it.
