Gym Junkiez Approved Chicken Recipes

 

 

Whats up Gym Junkiez! If you are like me then you eat a great deal of chicken! Its cheap, its easy to prepare, and its the number 1 bro food in the world. If this rings true for you, then this is also a true statement: Chicken is Boring! You get tired of eating chicken the same way and eventually either have to find a new protein source, or another way to prep it. If you are looking for quick recipes that are delicious and easy to prepare, please see below!

 

Orange Chicken

Ingredients
⅓ cup chicken broth
⅓ cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ purple onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb. chicken thighs, boneless skinless, cut into bite-size pieces (I used chicken breasts)
¼ cup cornstarch

Instructions

• Combine the chicken broth, orange marmalade, soy sauce, garlic powder and red pepper flakes in a small bowl, then whisk to combine. Set this aside for later
• Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the peppers and onions for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pepper and onion from the pan and set aside.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the wok or skillet and toss the bite-size pieces of chicken in the cornstarch, shaking off the excess.
• Add the chicken to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (I like to do this in two batches).
• Brown the chicken on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Once all the chicken is cooked, add the vegetables back to the pan, then stir in the sauce and heat it through until it bubbles and thickens.
• Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

 

Slow Cooker Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Soup

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup quinoa I used a black bean quinoa package
2 pound large sweet potatoes ~3-1/2 cups
1 can (15.25 ounces) black beans
1 can (14.25 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 packet (1.25 ounces) chili seasoning mix
5 cups chicken broth*
Optional: fresh parsley

Instructions

• Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Remove the fat from the chicken breasts and put them into the slow cooker along with the rinsed quinoa.(I found a black beans seasoned quinoa package which I used and loved, but regular quinoa will work as well, just make sure to rinse it well.)
• Remove the skins and chop the sweet potatoes into cubes adding them into the slow cooker.
• Drain and rinse the black beans and add those in. Add in the undrained petite diced tomatoes, minced garlic, chili seasoning mix, and chicken broth.
• Place on high for 3-5 hours (It took 4 hours on high for my crockpot.)
• Using two forks, shred the chicken and stir all the ingredients together.
• Add salt and pepper and if desired fresh parsley.
• Serve immediately.

 

 

Chicken Brocoli and Cheddar Skillet

 

Ingredients

2 (4 oz) chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 – 3/4″ thick
1 cup jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
FOR THE MARINADE:
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
FOR THE CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE:
1 cup almond milk, divided
1 tablespoon almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (light cheddar cheese, works, too)
FOR THE BROCCOLI:
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• In a freezer bag, combine the marinade ingredients and add in the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken breasts and reserve excess marinade. Cook until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
• In a separate small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour and about 1/4 cup of the milk. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk and the salt. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often.
• Reduce to a simmer and allow mixture to thicken, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the cheese, a bit at a time, until melted and completely combined. Keep over low heat, stirring regularly, until ready to use.
  In the cast iron skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade and discard the remaining marinade.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add in the broccoli and saute until bright green and beginning to brown lightly in spots, stirring and turning often, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Remove the broccoli and place on the plate with the chicken. Increase the heat on to high and let the pan sit for a minute or so to get steaming hot.
• Remove the skillet from heat and pour 1/2 of the cheese sauce onto the hot skillet. Quickly add the chicken, broccoli, and rice on top of the cheese sauce, and then pour over the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top, to garnish, and serve while still sizzling.

 

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce can reduced-sodium tomato sauce
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  O Organics Tomato Paste 6 Oz

  $0.99 for 1 itemThru 05/16
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
  Family/ Value Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs 1 Lb

  $2.49 for 1 item Thru 05/16
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Tip: Substitute Bun for P28 Protein Packed Bread (to buy click here)

Instructions

• Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground chipotle and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.
• Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5 hours.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

Thai Chicken Burgers with Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 1 1/4 pounds 85% or 90% lean ground chicken)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (1 teaspoon sriracha or 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes will also work)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup bread crumbs (preferably panko)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar

Coconut oil, for cooking the burgers

Tip: Substitute Bun for P28 Protein Packed Bread (to buy click here)

Instructions

Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Arrange the cubed chicken in a single layer on a large plate or sheet-pan and freeze until the edges of each piece of meat are frozen but the center is still soft, 15-20 minutes.

Put the peeled garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely minced. Add the par-frozen chicken and pulse until the meat is roughly chopped. The goal is to have 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces of chicken rather than a mixture that resembles pâté. This will take about 15 to 20 short pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients and use your hands to mix thoroughly. Divide the seasoned chicken into 4 balls of equal size, then form the balls into patties, making a 1/2-inch depression in the center of each to account for the fact that the burgers will swell as they cook. When you have formed all the patties, place them in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

Light 2/3 chimney’s-worth of charcoal. When hot and glowing, pour out the charcoal on one side of your grill. Place the cooking grate in place, close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for 5-10 minutes.

If using a gas grill, set half of your burners to medium-high, close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for at least 10 minutes.
When the grill is hot, clean the grill grate and brush it generously with the vegetable oil. Place the burgers on the hot side of the grill and cook, without turning, until the burgers are nicely charred and release from the grate, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is nicely charred and the burgers are no longer pink inside when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 5 minute more. Transfer the burgers to a sheet-pan or large plate to rest. If desired, brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with vegetable oil and grill until warmed through and grill marks appear.

To serve, place the grilled burgers on a bun and top with a generous amount of the slaw. Serve any remaining slaw alongside the burgers (it goes fast!).

Napa Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients
8 cups (about 1 pound) coarsely shredded napa cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
1 cup julienned carrots (yellow or orange bell pepper also works well)
12 ounces snow peas, strings removed and thinly sliced on the bias (yields about 2 cups)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, green part only
1 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup shelled, roasted, salted peanuts

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, radishes, carrots, snow peas, green onions and cilantro.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, ginger and cayenne. Whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the mayonnaise and continue to whisk until the dressing is homogenous.

Just before serving, add the dressing and peanuts to the vegetables. Mix to coat thoroughly.

*Note: Only dress and add the nuts to the slaw mix you intend to eat immediately; it will get soggy if it sits with dressing on it. The remaining vegetables and dressing will keep, covered and stored separately in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

 

If you like these recipes, please leave a comment and let us know. Till the next time. Eat Smart!!!!!!