Easy cooking and nutritious chicken recipes !

One rotisserie chicken will give you about 4 cups of shredded chicken, both white and dark meat (no skin). The typical chicken translates into about 12 ounces of light meat and 8 ounces of dark meat (no skin), which gives you a total of:

• 1,037 calories  
• 166 g protein
• 0 g carbohydrate
• 34 g fat
• 10.4 g saturated fat
• 13.7 g monounsaturated fat
• 8.2 g polyunsaturated fat
• 505 mg cholesterol
• 0 g fiber
• 451 mg sodium (unless some sodium is added to season the chicken before roasting)
• 30% calories from fat

 Chicken Cobb Salad

2 cups side salad green + 1 serving lean meat without added fat + 1 tsp oil

9 cups shredded romaine lettuce (or 4 1/2 cups shredded iceberg mixed with 4 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce)

2 1/2 cups shredded (skinless) roasted chicken breast (about 12 ounces)

3 hard-boiled egg whites, chopped

3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

6 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled

4 slices crisp-cooked turkey bacon, crumbled

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/3 cup chopped green onions (the white and part of the green)

3/4 cup lite ranch-style salad dressing

Distribute shredded lettuce into 6 individual salad plates or bowls. Arrange the chicken, chopped egg white, tomatoes, blue cheese, turkey bacon bits, avocado, and green onion on top of the lettuce, each in its own row.

Drizzle about 1/8 cup of dressing over each salad and serve.

Yield: 6 servings

Per serving: 324 calories, 25 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 5 g polyunsaturated fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g fiber, 622 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 52%.

Fruity & Nutty Chicken Salad

1 cup salad with meat, poultry and light dressing" OR 1 cup "hearty stew" OR 1 serving lean meat with 1 tsp fat maximum + 1 portion fresh fruit

3 cups diced boneless, roasted chicken breast

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/3 cup chopped green onions (the white and part of the green)

1 firm apple, sliced and diced

1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries

1 cup seedless green or red grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

5 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

Add chicken, celery, green onion, apple, dried cranberries or cherries, grapes, and pecans to large serving bowl and toss.

Add pepper, curry powder, mayonnaise, and sour cream to small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Spoon over chicken mixture and toss together to blend well.

You can serve this salad immediately, or you can cover the salad, chill in the refrigerator, and serve the next day.

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: 232 calories, 18 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 128 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 38%.

Chicken Pesto Pine Nut Skillet Pizza
1 small serving as 1 portion frozen dinner light OR 1 sandwich "sandwich and burger lean meat" OR 1 cup "hearty stew" + 2 ounces low-fat cheese

2 multigrain flour tortillas

1 tablespoon pesto sauce

1/2 cup shredded roasted chicken breast, skinless

2 slices part-skim mozzarella (2 ounces), each broken into about 4 pieces

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Add a flour tortilla to a large, nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spread pesto on top of the tortilla, then top with chicken and then cheese and pine nuts.

Place the second tortilla on top. Once the bottom tortilla is nicely browned, carefully flip the pizza over to brown the other tortilla. This will take a minute or two more.

Remove pizza to a plate and cut pizza into 8 wedges.

Yield: 1 large serving (or two small servings)

Per serving: 570 calories, 45 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 6 g polyunsaturated fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 11 g fiber, 1300 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33%.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Simple Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
1/4 cup starchy foods and legumes without fat + 1 serving lean meat without added fat OR 1 cup of salad with meat, poultry and light dressing

4 cups cooked and cooled whole wheat or whole grain blend pasta (like Barilla Plus Penne)

2 cups shredded roasted chicken breast (no skin), cooled

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion or green onions

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, cut in half

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1 tablespoon low-fat milk or fat-free half-and-half

2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained (use the type bottled in olive oil)black pepper to taste

Add cooked pasta, chicken, onions, and sugar snap peas to large serving bowl and toss to mix.

Add light mayonnaise, fat-free sour cream, low-fat milk or fat-free half-and-half, and chopped sun dried tomatoes to a small bowl or 2-cup measure and stir with fork to blend well into a dressing. Drizzle over the pasta mixture and toss to blend everything.

Serve immediately, or cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 232 calories, 25 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g fiber, 184 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 32%.