It’s every lifter’s go-to high-protein meal, and for good reason: just 85 grams of roasted chicken breast has 27 grams of the muscle-building nutrient.
But why suffer through another dry, bland breast when you can have a juicy-as-all-get-out, deeply tasty one?
Here’s how to cook chicken breast the right way and then serve it with a fast, flavourful sauce and a filling high-fibre side
STEP 1 — Cook it
Grilling or roasting chicken breast quickly dries out the meat. Instead, try poaching, which gently eases the chicken into juicy tenderness.
30g: The protein
What You’ll Need:
• 2 (170-220g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 sprigs thyme
• ½ lemon, quartered
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
How to Make It:
In a large pot, add all the ingredients and enough water to cover the chicken by 4cm. (For more flavour, replace ¼ of the water with white wine or hard cider.)
Bring the water to a very slight simmer over medium heat. Cook the chicken, partly covered with a pot lid, until the internal temperature reaches 75°C, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, allow to cool to the touch, and slice. Top with a sauce.
What’s 30/10 anyway?
Experts agree that you need 30 grams of protein per meal to help you build and maintain muscle. The 10 grams of fibre help you stay full.
STEP 2 — Sauce It
While the bird cooks, make one of these sauces in a saucepan. Heat all the ingredients over medium low for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Each recipe sauces 2 breasts.
Mojo
⅓ cup OJ + juice of ½ lime + 1 tsp lime zest + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 2 Tbsp coriander, chopped + 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped + 1 Tbsp jalapeños, chopped + 1 Tbsp garlic, minced + ¼ tsp cumin + ⅛ tsp salt.
Port Wine and Cherries
⅓ cup port wine + ½ cup frozen cherries, halved + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tsp fresh thyme + 1 tsp orange zest + 1 tsp honey + ¼ tsp allspice + ⅛ tsp salt.
Spiked BBQ
2 Tbsp barbecue sauce + 1 tsp bourbon + 1 tsp yellow mustard + ½ tsp chilli powder + ¼ tsp garlic powder + 1 Tbsp spring onion greens, chopped.
Apple Mustard
¼ cup chicken stock + ¼ cup hard apple cider + 2 Tbsp almonds, chopped + 2 Tbsp dried cranberries + 1 tsp dried sage +1 tsp Dijon mustard + 1 tsp maple syrup + 1 tsp cornstarch + ⅛ tsp salt.
Pumpkin Peanut Satay
⅓ cup pumpkin puree + 2 Tbsp PB + 3 Tbsp coconut milk + 2 Tbsp peanuts, chopped + 1 tsp ginger, minced + 1 garlic clove, minced + 2 tsp soy sauce + 1 Tbsp rice vinegar +1 tsp Sriracha + 1 tsp sesame oil + 1 tsp brown sugar.
Muhammara
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses + 2 tsp lemon juice +
2 tsp tomato paste + 1 Tbsp garlic, minced + ½ cup roasted red capsicums, sliced + 2 Tbsp walnuts,chopped + ½ tsp paprika + ¼ tsp cumin + ⅛ tsp salt.
The fibre: 10g
Each of these nutrition-packed sides will help you get the 10 grams of fibre you need at every meal to fight hunger. Each pairs well with any of the sauces and feeds four.
Maple Butternut Lentil Pear Salad
Roast 3 cups butternut squash (cubed) with 2 tsp olive oil at 205°C, 30min.
In a bowl, whisk 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp maple syrup,2 Tbsp cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp horseradish, 2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove (minced), and ¼ tsp salt.
Divide 6 cups baby kale among 4 plates. Add squash, ½ cup black lentils (cooked), ½ pear (sliced), 1 Tbsp pecans (sliced), and the dressing.
Farro Zucchini Cakes
In a colander, mix 450g zucchini (grated) and ½ tsp salt. Sit 10 minutes; squeeze to drain.
In a bowl, mix the zucchini, 1 cup farro (cooked), 1 cup quick-cook oats,¼ cup spring onion (minced), juice of ½ lemon, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt and 3 eggs.
In batches, cook in an oiled pan on medium, 4min per side.
