Chicken gets a bad rep for being ordinary, but it’s a protein-rich, blank canvas for creative cooking. If you’re ready to expand beyond topping salad greens with grilled chicken, try one of these healthy recipes that either pairs chicken with delectable, easy-to-make sauces or remakes comfort-food favorites like chicken tenders.

1. Kale & Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken | The Healthy Maven
Simple but flavorful kale and sun dried tomato stuffed chicken is lean and protein-packed. Chicken breast is pounded thin and stuffed with superfood kale, tomatoes and creamy goat cheese. Recipe makes 4 servings at 2 pieces each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 342; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 117mg; Sodium: 968mg; Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 48g

2. Skinny Chicken Parmesan | Skinnytaste
Want to indulge in chicken parmesan while still skimping on the calories and fat? Yes, please! This take on chicken parm is crispy baked chicken breast smothered with a layer of marinara sauce and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese. Oh, and butter is still involved where it really counts. Get started on this kid-friendly dish your whole family will love. Recipe makes 6 servings at 1/2 chicken breast each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 163; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 27mg; Sodium: 751mg; Total Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 11g

3. Chicken in Balsamic, Orange & Rosemary Sauce | BBC Good Food
If you’re looking for a fast but tasty way to jazz up chicken breasts on a weeknight, this recipe is it. The elegant sauce pairs sweet orange juice with acidic but sweet balsamic vinegar and piney rosemary—a perfect balanced flavor combination to make another chicken dinner anything but boring.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 259; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 63mg; Sodium: 300mg; Total Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 34g

4. Baked Honey Mustard Chicken | The Honour System
Juicy baked honey mustard chicken is easy to throw together and pop right into the oven. Just mix up your marinade, pour over the chicken and bake. Dinner's ready in an hour with minimal effort. Recipe makes 4 servings at 4 ounces each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 282; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 98mg; Sodium: 295mg; Carbohydrate: 19g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 18g; Protein: 39g

5. Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders | Eating Bird Food
Enjoy this healthy and crispy alternative to greasy chicken tenders. This recipe for baked chicken tenders uses crispy brown cereal and tangy Greek yogurt for a gluten-free crunch minus the deep frying. Spice up the chicken with harissa or any hot sauce of your choice, but you can also eliminate the hot sauce if you're making this for the little ones. Recipe makes 4 servings at 4 tenders each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 172; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 47mg; Sodium: 585mg; Carbohydrate: 12g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 25g

The Healthy Maven‘s simple by flavorful kale and sun dried tomatoes stuffed chicken is lean and protein packed. Chicken breast is pounded thin and stuffed with superfood kale, tomatoes and creamy goat cheese.

Kale & Sun Dried Tomatoes Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup goat cheese
• 1 head of kale, stemmed and chopped finely
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not canned in oil), chopped finely
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place kale in a large pot and top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of water and heat over medium. Cover and let steam for 2 minutes. Remove top and sauté for several more minutes, until all kale has wilted. Add in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes. Set aside.

Slice chicken pieces in half and using a mallet, pound chicken slices to make them thinner. Crumble a tablespoon or so of goat cheese onto each piece of chicken and top with about 2 tablespoons of the kale and sun-dried tomato mixture. Roll up pieces and place seam side down in a baking dish. Top with freshly ground salt and pepper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken has cooked all the way through and is no longer pink (mine takes about 23 minutes). Serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 2 pieces

Per serving: Calories: 342; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 117mg; Sodium: 968mg; Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 48g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 612mg; Iron: 10%; Vitamin A: 106%; Vitamin C: 76%; Calcium: 7%