21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet

By Derek
21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

If you’ve been struggling to find new, delicious and high protein meals for your bariatric diet then you need to try these 21 mouthwatering chicken recipes

Chicken: bland, boring, tasteless. Or is it? Chicken doesn’t have to be the boring protein in your diet you dread preparing…it can actually take on amazing flavor and its diversity can keep you satisfied on your bariatric journey.

Packed with about 6 grams of lean protein per ounce, chicken should be a staple in any bariatric diet. While you can’t go wrong with seasoned grilled chicken, that only scratches the surface of the potential that chicken has in your diet.

Enjoy!

[box]

Healthy Orange Chicken

Serves: 4

Orange chicken normally consists of chopped, battered and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce.

The words battered and fried rarely make their way into a bariatric diet, but orange chicken is too good to completely keep out of your diet. This lighter version tastes just as good as the real thing without the calorie consequences.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned + cut into 1 inch cubes

4 cups steamed broccoli or green beans

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2.5 cups orange juice

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup coconut aminos

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon fresh ginger***

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon pepper

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 362

Protein: 28 grams

Carbohydrates: 39 grams

Fat: 10 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Healthy Baked Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

Serves: 4

Chicken nuggets normally conjure thoughts of unhealthy drive-thru restaurants, kids meals and overly battered and fried chicken. Traditional chicken nuggets have no business making an appearance in a bariatric diet.

The good news is that these delicious home-made baked nuggets fit right in. Make these as a proper meal or as a protein-packed snack!

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1/2 cup parmesan cheese divided in half

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 460

Protein: 43.25 grams

Carbohydrates: 49.25 grams

Fat: 10 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Healthy Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry

Serves: 4

If you order a curry dish at a restaurant it’s likely to have a lot of heavy cream and butter (that’s how restaurants make food taste good, after all). Those two components make it difficult to fit into a bariatric diet.

That’s what makes this recipe so confusing, you get all the good things about a curry dish without the unnecessary fat. Try this with steamed rice.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken, cut up into pieces

4 tbsp curry powder

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup water

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 cups cooked brown rice

Seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 306

Protein: 38 grams

Carbohydrates: 35 grams

Fat: 2 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

20 Minute Healthy Sesame Chicken

Serves: 4

Sesame chiken is a staple at most chinese food restaurants. This is normally off-limits because of the high sugar and batter content, plus the oil from frying.

That doesn’t mean you can never have delicious sesame chicken again thanks to this amazing recipe. It tastes like the real thing, but it keeps you on track with your bariatric diet whether you’re still losing weight or playing the maintenance game.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1/2 inch strips or cubes)

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 pinch each salt & pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame

Cooked white rice for serving

Small bunch spring onionsscallions, chopped

For the sauce

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon sriracha add more for more heat

1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated

1 clove garlic minced

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon sesame oil optional

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 270

Protein: 26 grams

Carbohydrates: 14 grams

Fat: 11 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

MEAL PREP – HEALTHY ROASTED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

Serves: 4

Meal prep is hard and time consuming. Then  you have to worry about getting sick of what you prepared. Then you have to worry about the nutrition content.

This chicken meal prep recipe solves all of those problems. It has it all, protein, veggies and whole grains PLUS all in the amounts that fits perfectly into a bariatric diet. Make this when you have a busy week ahead of you so you can just grab it and go in the morning.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 medium chicken breasts boneless skinless cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup broccoli florets frozen or fresh

1 small red onion chopped

1 cup grape or plum tomatoes

1 medium zucchini chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper optional

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-4 cups cooked rice of choice optional

4 meal prep containers

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 524

Protein: 24 grams

Carbohydrates: 80 grams

Fat: 11 grams

*Tip: Use less rice to lower the total carbohydrates per serving. Try 1/2 cup per serving!*

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Serves: 6

Mexican food, like many other types of cuisines, rely on high-fat components like cheese and butter and oil. Since 1 gram of fat contains more than twice the amount of calories as protein and carbohydrates that makes Mexican food tough to fit into your bariatric diet.

But this easy, 4-ingredient Enchilada recipe keeps the calories under control and delivers all of the great flavors you need from a Mexican dish. Pick your favorite salsas to add on top and enjoy.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 cups 12 ounces diced or shredded cooked chicken (such as rotisserie chicken meat)

1 ½ cups enchilada sauce

1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese

8 6-inch corn tortillas

Optional garnish: sour cream sliced green onion, sliced olives, diced avocado or guacamole

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 230 calories

Protein: 19 grams

Carbohydrates: 21 grams

Fat: 7 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Whole30 Bruschetta Grilled Chicken (Paleo Keto)

 
Serves: 4

Since chicken can be bland at times there’s no better way to fix it up than with fresh herbs and tomatoes. This recipe relies a lot on the balsamic vinegar, so take this opportunity to splurge on a quality one.

This ends up tasting a lot like a Caprese salad without the cheese.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 265

Protein: 36 grams

Carbohydrates: 12 grams

Fat: 5 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Oven-fried Chicken Tenders – Gluten Free, Healthy, Low Carb

Serves: 4

Just like the chicken nuggets recipe, chicken tenders normally don’t make the cut for your bariatric diet.

Chicken tenders are the grown-ups version of this traditional finger food. The great thing about making baked tenders is that you get to enjoy all of the flavors you put in that are normally hidden by higher fat varieties.

This is a spicier recipe so feel free to cut back on the cayenne and black pepper if you don’t like spicy food.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1 lbs chicken tenders

1 cup almond meal

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp ground white pepper

¼ tsp ground cumin

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 297

Protein: 31 grams

Carbohydrates: 5 grams

Fat: 17 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Balsamic Chicken With Mushrooms and Thyme

Serves: 4

Mushrooms are great at taking on flavors when they are cooked down and balsamic vinegar is no exception here. Once cooked, the mushrooms add a nice element to the chicken breast that you can’t get from any other vegetable.

Plus, the mushrooms add a little bit more protein, which is nice…

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in half)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup chopped onions

2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves roasted garlic, smashed (or 2 cloves raw)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon chopped thyme, fresh

1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives (or parsley)

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 312

Protein: 34 grams

Carbohydrates: 8.5 grams

Fat: 16 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Healthy Chicken Breast and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves: 4

Chicken and broccoli is about as boring as chicken recipes get. However, when seasoned properly, it’s simply hard to beat. It’s healthy and packed with protein, fiber and vitamins, plus it’s super easy to prepare.

Classic ingredients like garlic, onion and ginger really make this recipe shine. You can always substitute grapeseed oil for vegetable or olive oil if you don’t want to make a special trip for it. But grapeseed oil doesn’t really have any flavor, where olive oil has a pretty distinct taste.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1 pound (455g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or grapeseed oil

1/2 medium onion , minced

2 large cloves garlic , minced

1 Tablespoon (15ml) fresh minced ginger

1 Tablespoon (15ml) low sodium soy sauce, or to taste (use Tamari for Gluten Free)

1 teaspoon (5ml) sesame seed oil

2 teaspoons (10ml) rice vinegar (use distilled white vinegar for Gluten Free)

2 teaspoons (10ml) hot sauce (optional)

1/4 pound (113g) broccoli, cut into small florets

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 246

Protein: 28 grams

Carbohydrates: 7 grams

Fat: 9 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast

Serves: 4

On busy nights it’s great to have a hands-off recipe. Baked chicken is just that – hands off. Once you season the chicken you can pop it in the oven and relax while it’s cooking.

This is another simple recipe that’s bad when done poorly, but a reliable staple when done properly. We’re sure this one will find itself onto your “make it again” list.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

4 (7 to 8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp olive oil

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp parsley flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Nutrition Facts:

Calories:  196

Protein: 30 grams

Carbohydrates: 6 grams

Fat: 6 grams

*Tip: Add 1/2 cup of seasoned brown rice as a side and add 108 calories and 22 grams of carbohydrates*

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Southwestern 2 Bean Chicken

Serves: 10 (makes 10 cups)

The slowcooker is probably our favorite kitchen appliance, hands down. All you have to do is turn it on, throw all of the ingredients inside and go to work. When you get home you’re met with an amazing, fully cooked dinner.

The slowcooker is also great for meal prep because you can make large quantities with very little extra effort. This southwestern chicken and bean soup is hearty and filling without any hidden calories.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

4 (8 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/3 cup home cooked beans

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/3 cup home cooked beans

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes in juice, low sodium is best

1 lb. frozen and thawed organic corn

1 (12 oz.) jar of your favorite salsa, no sugar added

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 243

Protein: 26 grams

Carbohydrates: 28 grams

Fat: 3 grams

*Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, pita pocket or on a bed of lettuce.*

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad

Serves: 4

Avocado can be difficult to fit into a diet. It is super healthy and has a lot of great nutrients, it’s just way too easy to accidentally overeat. By adding it to this chicken salad recipe you get the great flavor and texture, but in measured and controlled quantities.

The combination of cilantro and avocado make this a unique spin on the traditional chicken salad recipe.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded chicken

1 avocado

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 tsp lime juice

1 tsp fresh cilantro

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup plain Greek Yogurt

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 238

Protein: 23 grams

Carbohydrates: 6 grams

Fat: 14 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Foil Pack Cajun Chicken and Veggies

Serves: 4

Nothing says simple like putting all of your ingredients into a foil ball, sealing it up and grilling (or baking) it.

Cajun spices really dress up chicken and make it something new. It can really transform an otherwise boring chicken recipe into a delicious recipe you’ll want to make again.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large zucchini chopped

2 cups broccoli florets

1 bell pepper chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt ground onion (optional)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper optional

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 154

Protein: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 5 grams

Fat: 8 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Serves: 6

A lot of traditional dishes, like casseroles, get a bad rap. It’s far too often that they are laden with butter and carbohydrates and there’s not a way to fit them into your bariatric diet.

Luckily taking lean, white-meat chicken and nutritious broccoli and making them the star of the casserole sets this recipe up for success. This is a crowd-pleaser because it only has 5 ingredients, it’s easy to make and it tastes great.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

About 3 cups of shredded chicken

16 oz bag of frozen broccoli (cooked)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Garlic powder and pepper to taste

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 225

Protein: 29 grams

Carbohydrates: 5.5 grams

Fat: 10 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Instant Pot Chicken Veggie Soup with Tofu Noodles

 
Serves: 10

Soups are great for a couple of reasons. First, you normally can just throw everything into the pot and let it cook without much maintenance. Secondly, since you’re cooking everything in the pot without draining the liquid almost all of the nutrients stay inside instead of being rinsed down the drain. Lastly, you can make a ton of it at once and will keep well for the week.

This recipe combines nutritious veggies with high protein chicken, and it tastes great, too

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless chicken breast

1 small fennel bulb sliced thin (save tips for herb bundle)

1 lemon with rind removed (save for the herb bundle)

1 bunch of parsley only chop 1/2 (save the unchopped half for herb bundle)

2 cups peeled and chopped carrots

small head of celery chopped

1 small onion chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1 Parmesan rind (1 inch piece) (optional)

1 package of tofu fettuccini Shirataki noodles

4 tsp of reduced fat “it’s better than bouillon” chicken base

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups of baby spinach

8 cups of water

cooking twine

salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste

Instant Pot

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 174

Protein: 28 grams

Carbohydrates: 9 grams

Fat: 3 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs

 
Serves: 6

We often find that the simpler the ingredients and simpler the recipe the more amazing the outcome. This shines through in this recipe for sure.

There’s something really delicious about the cilantro and lime combination. It’s fresh and tasty and is soaked up by grilled chicken really well. You can try adding this to some brown or Mexican rice for a complete bariatric friendly meal.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon lime zest

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 234

Protein: 30 grams

Carbohydrates: 5 grams

Fat: 13 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

 
Serves: 6

If it’s summer time BBQ is going to be around and it’s going to be tempting. Pork and Beef BBQ tend to be pretty fattening and all BBQ tends to have far too much sodium.

By slow-cooking chicken breasts you get to control the sodium and the fat content of your BBQ. This is a fun recipe to experiment with the BBQ sauces you use, it can really make each batch taste completely different.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup Italian dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

salt to taste

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 342

Protein: 34

Carbohydrates: 30

Fat: 8

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Crockpot Butter Chicken

Serves: 6

Butter chicken, like it sounds, is traditionally cooked in a buttery gravy to add richness and flavor. That’s great if all you care about is flavor, but you’re here because you need to stay on track with your bariatric diet…

Instead of cooking the chicken in a buttery gravy, this recipe cuts out the fat by using tomato paste and Greek Yogurt. This ads virtually zero fat and keeps the creamy sauce you need in this dish.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

Slow Cooker

4.5 Chicken Breasts

3 Can Tinned Tomatoes

1.5 Tbsp Tomato Puree

15 Medium Tomatoes

1.5 Large Onion peeled and diced

4.5 Tbsp Greek Yoghurt

1.5 Tbsp Garlic Puree

1.5 Tbsp Mixed Spice

1.5 Coriander

1.5 Tsp Garam Masala

1.5 Tsp Paprika

1.5 Tsp Cumin

1.5 Tsp Turmeric

Salt & Pepper

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 288

Protein: 40 grams

Carbohydrates: 18 grams

Fat: 5 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

One-Pan Southwest Chicken with Rice

 
Serves: 6

Chicken and rice is about as exciting as the Chicken and Broccoli example from earlier. It can be super boring and very bland. But that stereotype is really talking about a recipe more like boiled chicken breast with unseasoned brown rice.

The truth is, chicken and rice can be as flavorful and unique as any other recipe on this list. This recipe takes the Southwest approach to deliver some heat and full flavor. There’s nothing boring about this recipe, you’ll love it.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts,  boneless thighs would work as well

1 cup rice long grain works best

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 poblano pepper, chopped bell pepper will work as well

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup corn, frozen and thawed fresh or canned drained will work

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained

1 14.5 ounce can roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup red enchilada sauce, store bought

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 382

Protein: 32 grams

Carbohydrates: 27.5 grams

Fat: 17 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box] [box]

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Serves: 4

Big portobello mushrooms just look like the perfect vegetable to pile on more fresh ingredients. It looks like a hamburger bun, but it’s full of nutrients and has hardly any calories to mention.

The delicious chicken mixture sits perfectly on the mushroom “bun” to add a unique flavor in a perfectly maintained package. Pairing this with an Arugula salad makes this a really nice and complete bariatric meal.

21 Mouthwatering Chicken Recipes That Fit Your Bariatric Diet Bari Life

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, divided

4 medium-sized portobello mushrooms

2 chicken breasts (or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken)

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each salt & pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 313

Protein: 35 grams

Carbohydrates: 7 grams

Fat: 14 grams

GET THE RECIPE

[/box]


 

New here? Sign up and never miss a new article!

  • Hidden
  • Hidden

What do you think of these 21 Chicken Recipes? Let us know in the comments below!

Share

More Bariatric Articles

BMI Calculator

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used tool to assess a person’s body weight in relation to their height. It provides a simple numeric value that can help indicate whether a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. While BMI is a useful screening tool, it is important to understand its limitations and […]

Macronutrient Calculator

The journey to weight management and overall health begins with understanding your individual macronutrient requirements. Try our Macronutrient Calculator below to get started. Macronutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, serve as the cornerstone of a balanced diet, providing essential energy and supporting various bodily functions. However, determining the right balance for your unique needs can […]


What are your tips and tricks to post-bariatric success?

Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below – we want to hear from you!

2 comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share

×