If you're following a diabetes-friendly diet, these chicken dinners are a great choice. Each recipe is low in calories, saturated fat and sodium so you can feel your best. Recipes like Lemon Chicken Pasta and Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers are healthy, flavorful and on the table in just 30 minutes.
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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl
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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
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Lemon Chicken Pasta
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We love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs in this quick and easy pasta recipe for one. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken and quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.
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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad
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Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper (see Associated Recipes). This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes.
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Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto
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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 very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
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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. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.
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Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers
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Here's an easy chicken recipe you'll definitely want to add to your dinner repertoire. A quick marinade tenderizes the chicken and infuses flavor in this healthy version of a take-out favorite. Adding a little oil to finish the marinade coats the chicken and helps keep it from sticking to the pan.
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Quick Tortilla Soup
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This hearty, veggie-packed soup packs a bit of heat, thanks to the tomatoes and green chiles! If you prefer things milder, swap in a 15-ounce can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes and add 2 teaspoons of low-sodium taco seasoning.
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BBQ Chicken Flatbread
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Barbecue-flavored chicken with peppers is baked on a premade pizza crust and topped with cheese for a quick and easy meal with lots of flavor.
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Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto
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Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.
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Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing
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For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.
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Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet
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We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes.
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Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken
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Classic sesame noodles become a healthy meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick recipe for Asian noodles. Be sure to rinse the spaghetti until it's cold, then give it a good shake in the colander until it's well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie "noodles" for the cooked pasta.
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Chicken & White Bean Soup
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Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
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Lemon-Tahini Couscous with Chicken & Vegetables
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When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don't have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it's a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that's perfect as an easy dinner recipe.
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Open-Face Philly-Style Chicken Sandwiches
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Next time you're in Philadelphia, don't miss out on sampling the city's famous cheesesteak sandwiches, but in the meantime, satisfy yourself at home with this makeover chicken version. Open-faced on whole-grain bread, loaded with sautéed peppers and onions, and topped with melty Provolone cheese, this 30-minute broiled sandwich is easy and delicious!
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Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad
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Barley and pistachios give this healthy chicken recipe a double dose of nutty flavor. For an easy change-up, swap in your favorite whole grain, such as brown rice, farro or quinoa.
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Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Fingerlings
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Fingerling potatoes are small, long, knobby spuds that are shaped like fingers. Look for them in the produce department or at farmers' markets.
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Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut
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Here's our weeknight version of choucroute garni, "dressed sauerkraut," made with chicken sausage. The flavor of the dish will vary depending on what type of chicken sausage you choose. We like the taste of roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage in this recipe. And although any type of sauerkraut can be used, we prefer the crisp texture of refrigerated kraut over canned. Serve with roasted carrots and some mustard to spread on the sausage.
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Orange-Soy Chicken Sandwiches
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Ready in 30 minutes, these asian inspired sandwiches will please the whole family!
