Tender and dripping with au jus, Sirloin Tip Roast has intense flavor from a homemade dry rub! It’s then roasted on a bed of caramelized onions for mouthwatering results that will be the highlight of your dinner table.

We also love crock pot sirloin tip roast!

Cooking a delicious roast for dinner isn’t as difficult as you might think. This juicy sirloin tip roast recipe will guide you to a beautiful tender piece of roasted beef, so flavorful you wouldn’t know you weren’t feasting on a prime rib.

Also be sure to try this eye of round roast recipe and slow cooker rump roast.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Budget friendly: Beef sirloin tip is one of inexpensive cuts of beef. 
• Juicy, tender results: It is not the most tender cut of meat but with my method your roast turns out so succulent! 
• No need to brown first: Save time and washing a pan with my cooking method. First we cook meat at high oven temperature that creates “a crust” and seals in the juices.
• Sunday dinner or special occasion: This impressive main dish looks beautiful on the cutting board and will earn rave reviews from family and guests!
• Delicious leftovers: The next day, serve leftovers as beef sandwiches with au jus for dipping.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Roast: Beef sirloin tip roast aka round tip roast, ball tip roast, crescent roast, knuckle roast, beef tip roast and beef round sirloin tip roast. About 3 pounds and boneless.
• Onion: White onion, sliced for aromatic flavor.
• Spice rub: Ground coffee (regular or decaf), smoked paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

How to Cook Sirloin Tip Roast

Here is an overview how to cook sirloin tip roast. Full recipe card is located below.

Before you begin, you want to take your roast out of the fridge and let it sit for about an hour. This will bring it to room temperature, which will result in even roasting!

• Prep: Preheat the oven and spread sliced onions evenly across the bottom of the Dutch oven or roasting pan.
• Mix dry rub: In a small bowl, mix coffee, smoked paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
• Coat the roast: Place whole roast on a plate and sprinkle dry rub over entire roast, starting with the fat side down. Press into it, making sure it sticks to the meat on both sides. Transfer on top of onions and sprinkle with remaining seasoning.
• Bake uncovered: At first you’ll bake roast uncovered at a higher temperature. Because we’re not browning the meat or searing it first, this will help keep in the juices. Then reduce the heat, cover with the lid and roast until 10 degrees before your desired internal temperature is reached.
• Rest and slice: Remove roast from the oven and let it rest covered for 20 minutes. Then transfer roasted sirloin tip to a cutting board and grab a very sharp fillet knife. Cut off the twine and slice against the grain.

How Long to Cook Sirloin Tip Roast?

How long to cook sirloin tip roast depends on how you like your meat done. I have put together a handy time table to consult.

If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend you invest in a meat thermometer. People have come up with tips and tricks to eyeballing when roast is ready, but nothing beats the real thing.

Tips for Best Results

• Ovens vary a lot: I have two ovens and one bakes hotter than the other. So start checking your roast at the 30-minute mark.
• To avoid overcooking: Roast until 10 degrees below your desired internal temperature as per table above. This is because it will continue cooking just a bit even out of the oven. Removing it just before your level of doneness is a trick to use to avoid overcooking your roast.
• The convection oven cooks faster: Keep this in mind for sure.
• Cook on the middle rack: No matter what oven you’re using, cook on the middle oven rack. That way there is even distribution to the pan.

Variations

This recipe for sirloin tip roast can be adapted to your taste and what you have in the kitchen.

• No Dutch oven? I think the best way to cook this roast is in a Dutch oven. However, you can use roaster with a lid. If you use a roasting pan and cover it with aluminum foil, I suspect it will take longer to cook. I highly recommend checking with an instant read thermometer for internal temperature after 30 minutes.
• Orange instead of lemon: I can see how nice of a variation it can be.
• Onion: I absolutely love white onion because it is sweet and has a crunch to it even after you are done cooking a sirloin tip roast. You can use yellow onion or red onion as well.
• Grandma’s pot roast: For a Sunday dinner feel, cook roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions and watch everything roast and caramelize together. Cut vegetables into larger chunks to accommodate the longer cooking time. Baby potatoes could be used vs. thick sliced potato chunks. Pearl onions could be used in place of sliced onion.
• Different dry rub: Try olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, or other herbs. Simple salt and pepper will also work. Or coat beef with pot roast seasoning or all purpose seasoning instead.
• Turn your au jus into gravy: Add beef stock or red wine, cornstarch and other seasonings to taste to thicken up the juice.
• French dip: Save your leftover juices. When you make a roast sandwich the next day, serve it in a soft bun and dip it right in the au jus.

What Should I Serve It with?

Beef sirloin tip roast is an excellent holiday main dish at Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years Eve!

Serve with its juices and onions from the pan and delicious side dishes for a complete meal:

• Salad: In Ukraine, we serve almost every meal with cucumber and tomato salad. Or pick one of these 45 beautiful healthy salad recipes.
• Potato side dish: With traditional creamy mashed potatoes, cauliflower mashed potatoes or super easy Instant Pot baked potatoes.
• Veggie side dish: It is so easy to quickly saute these garlic green beans, or toss with oil and garlic and roast asparagus in the oven. Or make super easy cooked cabbage drizzled with roast au jus.

How to Store and Freeze

Store: Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers the next day for a repeat dinner or slice up some beef for sandwiches. Use the au jus for dipping!

Sliced leftover beef roast makes an excellent addition to a holiday charcuterie platter!

Freeze: This red meat is great for freezing because it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just place it in airtight container and freeze.

FAQs

More Roast Recipes to Try

• Crock pot eye of round roast
• Boneless turkey breast roast
• Boneless leg of lamb recipe
• Instant Pot pot roast
• Roasted leg of lamb
• Roasted bone-in turkey breast
• Slow cooked oven brisket

Print

Sirloin Tip Roast

Tender and dripping with au jus, Beef Sirloin Tip Roast Recipe has intense flavor from a homemade dry rub! It's then roasted on a bed of caramelized onions for mouthwatering results that will be the highlight of your dinner table.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Resting Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 450kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Meat thermometer

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sirloin tip roast
• 1 large white onion sliced
• 1 tablespoon ground coffee regular or decaf
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 lemon zest only

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Remove roast and let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. On the bottom of large Dutch oven or roasting pan spread onion slices. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, add coffee, smoked paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
• Place roast on a large plate fat side down. Sprinkle with dry rub evenly, pressing it to stick to the meat while turning. Transfer roast fat side up into prepared dish and sprinkle with any remaining dry rub.
• First bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, cover with lid and bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until internal read thermometer reads 10 degrees BEFORE your desired doneness T:

  °Rare: 120-125 F internal temperature. Red and bloody.

  °Medium rare: 130-135 F internal temperature. Pink center with brown towards the outside.

  °Medium: 140 F internal temperature. Barely pink center with brown to the outside.

  °Well done: 150-160 F internal temperature. Brown all the way through.

  Example, my 3 lbs roast was cooked to 135 degrees F when I checked on it after 35 minutes of baking covered (total cook time 65 minutes). I would start checking after 30 minutes cooking covered and remember all ovens bake differently!
• Remove roast from the oven and let rest covered for 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, remove twine and slice against the grain using sharp fillet knife.
• Serve with its juices and onions from the bottom of the pan, mashed potatoes and a simple salad like cucumber and tomato salad.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days in an airtight container. They are good for sandwiches!
• Freeze: In portion for up to 3 months.
• No Dutch oven? Use a roaster with a lid. If you use a roasting pan and cover it with tin foil, I suspect it will take longer to cook. Highly recommend to check with a thermometer for internal temperature after 30 minutes.
• Ovens vary a lot: I have 2 ovens and one bakes hotter than the other. 
• Convection oven cooks faster: Keep this in mind for sure!
• Onion: I absolutely love white onion because it is sweet and has a crunch to it even after roasting. You can use yellow or red onion as well.
• Turn your au jus into gravy: Add beef broth (or red wine), cornstarch, and other seasonings to taste to thicken up the juice.
• Grandma’s pot roast: Cook with potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions and watch everything roast and caramelize together.

See recipe post for more tips and FAQs.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 74g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 936mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

The post Sirloin Tip Roast appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This Spaghetti Squash Quiche recipe swaps the usually pastry-heavy crust for a lighter spaghetti squash crust. Then we pack it with vegetables, a little cheese and a lot of flavor!

You can even omit the crust entirely like we do in crustless broccoli quiche, crustless spinach quiche and zucchini quiche recipes.

There is everything delicious about the balsamic veggies filling and nothing traditional about the crust of this spaghetti squash quiche.

The idea of a spaghetti squash crust is similar to cauliflower pizza crust recipe – cooking vegetables first and then squeezing liquid out a bit.

The filling idea came from my balsamic grilled vegetables and the crust from spaghetti squash quiche with kale and mushrooms. It is not my idea to make a spaghetti squash quiche crust but it is my execution of it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Cleans out the fridge: You make the filling with eggs, cheese and whichever vegetables you got on hand. I used leftovers of zucchini and bell peppers from making baked chicken and peppers and broccolini from ground turkey and potato skillet.
• Not difficult to make: This recipe is not as labor intensive as you might think, the longest part is waiting for the squash to bake.
• Holds its shape: Each slice actually stays in shape and doesn’t go soggy, like you’d think!
• Delicious: You won’t miss the pastry crust with the fantastic flavors of sweet squash, tangy veggies, and melted cheese. This squash quiche would be so great for brunches, dinners and lunch.

Ingredients for Spaghetti Squash Quiche

From the low carb crust to the rich egg filling, this spaghetti squash quiche is made with very simple ingredients.

• Spaghetti squash: The most flavorful winter squash. You’ll need 1 medium squash around 2.5 pounds.
• Eggs: 6 large eggs form the center of the dish and are an excellent source of protein.
• Sautéed vegetables: Sautéed onion and bell pepper add a sweet caramelized flavor. You’ll need 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, any color.
• Oil: Whichever oil you like to use for frying, I used avocado oil.
• Other vegetables: I used zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes but really any combination will work. I’ve listed some recommendations below.
• Cheese: A delicious combination of cheddar cheese and feta. Freshly shredded will melt easier and taste better.
• Balsamic vinegar: Adds a rich and tangy flavor that’s also slightly sweet.
• Seasonings and herbs: Salt, garlic powder, and dried basil.
• Cooking spray: To prep your baking dish, I use Misto.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

My favorite methods for making spaghetti squash noodles for quiche is to bake spaghetti squash whole in the oven or to make air fryer spaghetti squash.

I find Instant Pot spaghetti squash is a bit too watery to form a proper quiche crust.

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

• Cut spaghetti squash: Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise. Here’s a quick guide and some helpful tips for how to cut spaghetti squash.
• Remove seeds: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and place each half cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake: Poke some holes in the skin with a fork so the steam can escape while they cook. Bake for 30 minutes and set aside to cool.

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Quiche

Here’s an overview of how to make the crust, combine the filling, and assemble. Just like the photos show, spaghetti squash pie is a lot easier than you think.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Shred spaghetti squash: Use a fork to scrape the interior into “strands”, then add the strands to a medium bowl and season with salt. Use your hands to squeeze out some liquid, return to the bowl, sprinkle with dried basil and garlic powder then mix to combine.
• Form the crust: Pour squash mixture into a greased pie pan. Using your hands once more, press evenly on the bottom and sides and set aside while you make the filling.
• Sauté onion and peppers: Preheat a non-stick skillet on medium heat and coat with oil. Sauté onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes until golden brown.
• Make the egg mixture: To a large mixing bowl, add eggs, balsamic vinegar, dried basil, and salt. Whisk to combine. Next, add in cheddar cheese, feta cheese, sautéed onion and bell pepper, and fresh zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes, then stir to combine.
• Bake: Pour the mixture over the squash crust and level with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Serve: Let the quiche cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and enjoy hot or cold.

Tips for Best Results

These 5 helpful tips and tricks will help you make the best squash quiche with vegetables.

• Don’t over bake spaghetti squash: It can make tender squash strands watery, al dente squash noodles are the best.
• Salt and squeeze cooked squash: Salt helps draw out extra moisture so you can squeeze it out, this is important because it helps prevent a soggy spaghetti squash crust.
• Submerge veggies in eggs: Mix the vegetables well into the egg mixture, so they don’t dry out during baking.
• Cool before slicing: Your kitchen smells amazing and you want to dig in, but the quiche will taste much better once it has cooled. In that 30 minutes the inside will continue to cook and the outside will cool a bit and be perfectly warm and ready to eat.
• Add protein: Cooked bacon, ground sausage, diced ham, ground beef, even seafood. As long as the meat is fully cooked before adding to the quiche, you can customize it with anything you like!

What Are the Best Vegetables to Use?

You can pretty much use any vegetable you have on hand or create your favorite combination for a loaded vegetable quiche that’s naturally gluten-free and good for you.

When swapping vegetables, make sure the total quantity stays about the same.

• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Mushrooms
• Eggplant
• Peas
• Brussel sprouts
• Green beans
• Avocado
• Kale
• Sun-dried tomatoes

Serving Spaghetti Squash Quiche

Spaghetti squash quiche can be served warm or cold, as a main dish or a side dish, the options are endless!

For breakfast or brunch we love pairing it with either my grandma’s Ukrainian breakfast potatoes or a side of fruit salad and a healthy muffin. I also like to serve leftovers with pancakes or waffles.

Alongside a crisp salad or soup makes a quick lunch or dinner for your family or guests. Anything from a simple green salad, pasta salad, or classic chicken salad would be delicious.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

Yes. As for the crust, you can cook spaghetti squash the night before, so when you’re ready to make the crust it’s going to be nice and cool. I also have to say it’s easier to separate spaghetti squash into noodles while it’s still warm.

You can also pre-make spaghetti squash quiche crust, then cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

You can even sauté and store vegetables in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Same goes for freshly chopped vegetables and grated cheese. Then combine veggies with egg mixture and cheese when ready to bake.

How to Store

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze: I find the texture to be off once thawed, so I personally do not recommend freezing.

FAQs

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Spaghetti squash chicken alfredo
• Tex mex stuffed spaghetti squash
• Ground turkey spaghetti squash casserole
• Butter chicken spaghetti squash
• Spaghetti squash breakfast

More Quiche Recipes to Try

• Crustless zucchini pie
• Vegetable frittata

Print

Spaghetti Squash Quiche with Vegetables

Spaghetti Squash Quiche swaps the pastry crust for a light spaghetti squash crust. Packed with vegetables, a little cheese and a lot of flavor!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 37 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 210kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• pie dish
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash about 2.5 pounds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 large bell pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 6 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
• 2 cups zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes chopped (in any combination, mix and match)
• Cooking spray I use Misto

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke skin randomly with a fork and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool until safe to handle.
• Using a fork, separate spaghetti squash into strands and add to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix. Using your hands, squeeze out liquid a bit. Return to the bowl along with 1/2 teaspoon dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and mix to combine.
• Spray deep pie dish with cooking spray and transfer squash mixture into it. Using your hands, press evenly on the bottom and sides. Set aside.
• Preheat ceramic non-stick skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl, add eggs, balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1/4 tsp salt and whisk. Add cheddar cheese, feta cheese, sauteed onion and bell pepper, and fresh zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes. Stir well to combine.
• Pour mixture into prepared crust and level with spatula. Bake for 50 minutes or until the knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let quiche cool down for at least 30 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and serve hot or cold.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 – 4 days. Do not freeze.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 439mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g

The post Spaghetti Squash Quiche with Vegetables appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This Healthy Fried Chicken is baked instead of fried without breadcrumbs, cereal, oil, or flour. It comes out so crispy outside and juicy inside, you will want to sink in your teeth in it immediately!

Kids also would love this almond crusted chicken and coconut crusted chicken.

I came up with my own version of the best healthy fried chicken! Just ask my kids. The breading for the chicken is made with healthy ingredients. The result is the most crispy oven fried chicken ever!

Even though I’ve spent tons of time in the kitchen making almond flour recipes for baked goods, who knew it would work amazing for savory uses too. In fact, I’ve used it for healthy chicken nuggets as well. It’s so delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy: You do not have to marinate chicken in buttermilk beforehand. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
• Wholesome ingredients: Instead of traditional breadcrumbs and cereal I use a mix of coconut flakes and almonds. So, it’s also gluten-free chicken recipe!
• It’s much lower in fat: Instead of deep frying the chicken, we bake it in the oven.
• Crispy coating: Using cooking spray ensures the crispy coating without deep frying.

Ingredients for Healthy Fried Chicken

• Chicken: Chicken drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs. Both should have skin on, so the breading sticks. If using both, make sure to check on doneness of each kind and one might have to be removed sooner than the other from the oven.
• Coconut flakes: For this recipe, it is important to use short coconut flakes because they stick to the chicken better. If you have long coconut flakes, just give them a few pulses in a blender or food processor.
• Almond flour: Almond flour is made with blanched almonds, where as almond meal is made with skin-on almonds. I tested both in this recipe and noticed no changes in taste or crispiness of healthy fried chicken.
• Spices: Garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. You can also use my all-purpose seasoning instead.
• Eggs: Act as “a glue” for coating. You can try to dip chicken into buttermilk or milk to make an egg-free fried chicken.

How to Make Healthy Fried Chicken

• Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make sure to spray the wire rack lightly with cooking spray or brush with oil.
• Form dredging station: Mix coconut flakes, almond meal or flour, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork and set aside.

• Dredge the chicken: First, dip a drumstick in the egg mixture, then dredge the drumstick in the coating. Repeat this process one more time! Place breaded chicken in a single layer on a wire rack.

• “Fry” chicken in the oven: Bake for 40-45 minutes. The coating will become crispy brown. But don’t worry, it will not burn!
• Enjoy: Serve immediately for the best oven fried chicken ever!

How Do I Know When my Fried Chicken Is Done?

How long to bake healthy fried chicken in the oven is a very valid question, especially since it is bone in chicken. The best way to tell if your chicken is ready is by using an accurate digital internal meat thermometer.

Insert thermometer into the thickest part of chicken close to the bone but not touching it. Your chicken is ready when thermometer registers 165 F.

Tips for Best Results

There are a few instructions you must follow for crispy chicken. Don’t skip!

• Dredge twice: Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then in coating and repeat one more time. It creates a thicker, crispy crust.
• Be sure to use short coconut flakes: If you have long coconut flakes, pulse them in a blender or food processor. They will mix with almond flour, sticking to the coating well this way.
• Bake on a wire rack: To ensure that heat circulates around coated chicken, baking it evenly on all sides and making the breading crispy. Plus you won’t have to flip the chicken.
• Oil the rack: You have to spray even a non-stick wire rack with cooking spray or brush with an oiled brush to avoid crispy coating sticking to it when you remove cooked chicken.
• Remove carefully: Once chicken is baked, don’t just grab it off the rack. You risk leaving a chunk of crispy coating behind. Instead, let the chicken cool for a few minutes. Using a butter knife or spatula, push the chicken off from underneath the rack. Crispy coating in every bite guaranteed!
• If chicken starts browning too much: If your chicken looks too dark but isn’t cooked inside, cover it loosely with tin foil. It will prevent it from burning and continue to cook through.
• Make chicken spicy: For a heat kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder or paprika to the dry coating mix. You might also like this cajun chicken recipe.

What Do I Serve Healthy Fried Chicken with?

Here is a list of side dishes I would make while the fried chicken is baking in the oven:

• Mashed potatoes: Chicken and potatoes are a match made in heaven! Try these creamy mashed potatoes.
• Salad: A fresh salad like Thai cucumber salad or cucumber tomato feta salad. Or check out my full list of healthy salads.
• Grains: Any fans of big chicken chain restaurants will know that chicken and rice are made for one another. Serve with Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot long grain white rice or Instant Pot basmati rice.
• Vegetables: Roasted cauliflower, air fryer brussels sprouts, or sauteed broccoli.
• Dipping sauces: Fried chicken can be served with hot sauce, healthy honey mustard dressing, healthy ranch dressing, peanut sauce or even ketchup.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Leftover healthy fried chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. I recommend to line the bottom of a container and top of chicken with double layer of paper towel to soak up the moisture.

Unfortunately, the chicken will not be quite as “crispy” when reheated.

Reheat: To reheat fried chicken, my best advice would be to use an air fryer, if you have one. Here is a quick tutorial how to reheat chicken in air fryer.

To reheat in the oven, place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F until heated through. You might regain some of the crispness as well.

Freeze: Bake and cool chicken completely. Wrap each chicken piece in foil, then place in a resealable Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight.

FAQs

More Healthy Chicken Recipes to Try

• Air fryer chicken breast
• Oven baked chicken thighs
• Baked chicken parmesan
• Air fryer chicken drumsticks

You may also be interested in browsing through my full list of chicken recipes!

Print

Healthy Fried Chicken

This Healthy Fried Chicken is baked instead of fried without breadcrumbs, cereal, oil or flour. It comes out so crispy outside and juicy inside, you will want to sink in your teeth immediately.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10 pieces

Calories 328kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Wire rack

Ingredients

• 10 chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups short coconut flakes
• 3/4 cup almond flour or almond meal
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ggound black pepper
• Cooking spray I use Misto

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place wire rack on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spray the rack with cooking spray or brush it with oil and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large plate with edges, add coconut flakes, almond flour, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork and set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside.
• Organize dredging station by placing in a row: chicken, egg wash and coating. Take a drumstick, dip into an egg mixture, dredge in coating, dip in the eggs again and finally dredge in coating one last time. Place on previously prepared wire rack and repeat with remaining 9 chicken drumsticks.
• Bake chicken for 40-45 minutes or until the meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part close to the bone but not touching registers 165 F.
• Serve immediately for the best crispy healthy chicken in the world!

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. I recommend to line the bottom of a container and top of chicken with double layer of paper towel to soak up the moisture. Unfortunately, the chicken will not be quite as “crispy” when reheated.
• Freeze: Bake and cool chicken completely. Wrap each chicken piece in foil, then place in resealable Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Be sure to use short coconut flakes: If you have long coconut flakes, pulse them in a blender or food processor. They will mix with almond flour, sticking to the coating well this way.
• Oil the rack: You have to spray even a non-stick wire rack with cooking spray or brush with a brush dipped in oil.
• Remove carefully: Once chicken is baked, don’t just grab it off the rack. Let the chicken cool for a few minutes then using a butter knife or spatula, push the chicken off from underneath the rack.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1drumstick | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 280mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g

The post Healthy Fried Chicken appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash is a savory low carb, gluten-free dinner filled with rich, creamy flavor. It’s easy comfort food perfect for weeknights and special occasions.

Also try my other spaghetti squash boats recipes like Tex Mex stuffed spaghetti squash and butter chicken spaghetti squash.

Fall marks squash season! Spaghetti squash chicken alfredo is true fall comfort food made in a healthy way! It is an old recipe of mine from 2017 that I have retested and updated with new photos.

This lighter take on chicken alfredo is every bit as indulgent as the classic Italian dish. The boats are filled with spaghetti squash strands, juicy chicken, and homemade sauce, they’re delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Full of flavor: Heavy cream is substituted for healthier Greek yogurt. But I promise, the taste remains creamy! My healthy alfredo sauce is full of garlic and freshly grated Parmesan cheese flavors.
• Lower in carbs: In this recipe, tender spaghetti squash noodles replace traditional pasta.
• Extra vegetables: With spaghetti squash alfredo you get all the creamy sauce, chicken, and cheese with an extra serving of veggies aka spaghetti squash.
• Can be made ahead: This recipe is meal prep friendly and great for busy weeknights or healthy lunches. Make all components ahead for easy assembly, or assemble as per the recipe, refrigerate, and reheat.

Ingredients for Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash

Here’s a short list of everything you’ll need to make chicken alfredo spaghetti squash. You most likely have most of these wholesome ingredients already.

• Spaghetti squash: The recipe calls for 1 medium spaghetti squash. You can also use 2 smaller spaghetti squash.
• Chicken: I use Instant Pot shredded chicken breast. You can also use store bought rotisserie chicken (add less salt to the sauce then), or pan fried chicken breast or slow cooked chicken breast.
• Garlic cloves: Use fresh garlic cloves for more flavor.
• Oil: You’ll need a bit of oil to sauté the garlic, I like avocado oil or olive oil.
• Chicken broth: Low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock is used as the liquid for the sauce.
• Cornstarch: Thickening the sauce with cornstarch yields the right consistency, without losing flavor.
• Spices: A dash of salt and pepper to taste.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese from a block is always best for flavor and texture.
• Greek yogurt: I swap heavy cream for Greek yogurt or plain regular yogurt to make a thick and creamy sauce. I recommend full fat or low fat yogurt, fat free yogurt will curdle from the heat.
• Mozzarella cheese: Top with cheesy mozzarella. Freshly grated is best, pre-packaged cheese has anti-caking agents which don’t melt as nice.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

First step is roasting the spaghetti squash. Start by preheating your oven to 375 F, and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Cut spaghetti squash: Cut the squash in half lengthwise. If you’re nervous, here’s a quick tutorial on how to safely cut spaghetti squash. The key is to use a very sharp knife, I love my Henckels chef’s knife.
• Scoop out the seeds: Use a big spoon to scoop out the seeds from the inside of the squash.
• Bake: Place spaghetti squash halves cut side down on the prepared baking sheet, poke skin with a fork, and bake for 30-40 minutes. The skin should be dark and glossy.
• Cool: Remove baking sheet from the oven, and cool squash for about 15 minutes while you make the filling.

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo

Here’s an easy-to-follow photo overview of how to make the filling for chicken alfredo spaghetti squash.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Make alfredo sauce: First, sauté garlic in a large non-stick skillet until fragrant. Then add chicken stock, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, add Parmesan cheese and whisk until cheese has melted.
• Add yogurt: Next, add Greek yogurt to the pan and stir well until smooth.
• Add chicken to the sauce: Stir in the pre-cooked shredded chicken into the sauce, stirring well.

• Shred spaghetti squash: Once squash is safe to touch, separate strands with a fork leaving them inside the shells.
• Combine: Scoop chicken alfredo sauce on top of each spaghetti squash shell. Use a fork to combine the sauce and squash strands.
• Add topping: Just sprinkle the top of each shell with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Bake and broil: Roast for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees F, then broil on low for 5 minutes until tops are bubbly and golden.

Tips and Variations

Here are some helpful tips for making this spaghetti squash recipe with chicken a huge hit!

• Don’t overcook spaghetti squash: Just like regular pasta, al dente strands are best. Overcooked squash can leave the strands watery.
• Add yogurt off the heat: The yogurt should be added to the sauce last, off heat so it doesn’t curdle.
• Make it vegetarian: For a savory vegetarian dish simply omit the chicken and follow the same recipe.
• Use other winter squash: This recipe is flexible! You can roast butternut squash halves or bake acorn squash halves and then stuff with the same filling.
• Turn it into a skillet meal: Scoop out spaghetti squash strands and add them to the skillet with sauce and chicken.

What to Serve Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash with?

Stuffed spaghetti squash makes a healthy meal on its own and perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Of course, you can always serve it up with a favorite veggie or leafy greens.

• Vegetables: Any roasted or sautéed veggie would make an excellent side dish. You can’t go wrong with easy sautéed zucchini, or broiled asparagus. Another delicious option is crispy air fryer broccoli.
• Salads: Depending on your appetite, you can make a heartier salad or something lighter. We love this sweet kale salad, spinach avocado salad, and brussels sprouts salad during fall and winter.
• Soup: A warm bowl of comforting soup pairs well with spaghetti squash, try some healthy pumpkin soup or classic tomato soup with breadsticks.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Freeze: Spaghetti squash does not freeze well.

Reheat: Reheat in a microwave or in the oven covered at 375 F for 10 minutes. Don’t cook too long, sauce can separate.

FAQs

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Spaghetti squash breakfast with avocado
• Ground turkey spaghetti squash
• Spaghetti squash quiche with kale
• Spaghetti squash quiche with vegetables

More Alfredo Recipes to Try

• Healthy chicken alfredo
• Instant Pot chicken alfredo

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Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash

Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash is comfort food made lighter and healthier. This dinner recipe is big on taste, but low on carbs without sacrificing flavor.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 331kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 3/4 cup chicken broth low sodium
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 3/4 cup plain regular yogurt or Greek yogurt
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast shredded
• 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 F degrees F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds out. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-40 minutes or until skin is dark and glossy and inside flakes with a fork. Don't overcook.
• Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down until safe to the touch, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add chicken stock, cornstarch, salt, pepper and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 more minutes until sauce has thickened a bit.
• Remove from the heat, add Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and cheese has melted. Add Greek yogurt and stir again until smooth. Add chicken and stir to combine.
• Using a fork, separate spaghetti squash into strands leaving them inside the shells. Scoop chicken alfredo filling on top of each shell and gently move around with a fork to make the sauce settle deeper into the spaghetti squash.
• Top each shell with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese and place in a baking dish. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes and then broil until golden.
• Stir the squash with a sauce a bit before serving and serve hot.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Do not freeze.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5shell | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 659mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g

The post Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This Healthy Alfredo Sauce recipe is light, creamy, and takes less than 10 minutes to make. Serve it over your favorite pasta for a quick meal.

I use almost same version to make my healthy chicken alfredo and Instant Pot chicken alfredo.

I do like classic alfredo sauce because it’s delicious and I enjoy it when in restaurants and in Italy, but for everyday cooking I like to make healthy alfredo sauce so I can enjoy all the flavor without the calories!

Once you make this Greek yogurt alfredo sauce, you’ll love how versatile it is. I originally made it for spaghetti squash chicken alfredo, but it also pairs well with pasta, pizza, and casseroles.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It tastes “regular”: The texture is silky smooth, and it’s just as rich and cheesy as regular alfredo.
• It’s much lighter: No butter or heavy cream in this lightened-up version. A few ingredient swaps makes this healthy sauce recipe low calorie and low fat.
• Easy: A short list of simple ingredients means you can ditch the store-bought jars for good.
• Quick: This sauce comes together in 5-7 minutes. You can quickly whip it up while the pasta is boiling, then toss together for an easy weeknight healthy dinner.

Ingredients for Healthy Alfredo Sauce

You’ll need 8 simple ingredients, including salt and pepper, to make this healthy alfredo sauce.

• Garlic: The savory note of freshly minced garlic adds to the indulgent taste.
• Oil: I prefer olive oil or avocado oil for sautéing the garlic.
• Chicken broth: Use low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock.
• Cornstarch: A thickening agent is needed to thicken the sauce.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is best for flavor and texture. The pre-shredded packaged cheese has anti-caking agents which prevent it from melting nicely.
• Greek yogurt: Yogurt keeps the sauce thick and creamy without the need for butter, heavy cream, or cream cheese. Not to mention, it has lots of protein! If you don’t have Greek yogurt, plain yogurt works as well.
• Spices: Salt and pepper to taste.

How to Make Healthy Alfredo Sauce

Here’s a quick overview of how to make a healthier alfredo sauce at home using one pan.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Sauté garlic: Preheat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat with a bit of oil to coat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently, so the garlic doesn’t burn.
• Start alfredo sauce: To the same pan, add chicken broth, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened a bit.
• Melt the parmesan cheese: Remove from heat, add the parmesan cheese, and whisk well until the cheese has melted.
• Finish the sauce: Stir in the yogurt and gently mix until smooth. You’re done! Serve hot over your favorite noodles or transfer to a jar and store for up to 5 days.

Tips for Best Results

Here are a few tips to follow when making healthy alfredo sauce.

• Use fresh Parmesan cheese: Grate it yourself from a block, the small bits and pieces add a salty bite, so good!
• Salt pasta water: This sauce isn’t very salty but salting the water will season the actual pasta, adding another depth of flavor to the entire dish.
• Add pasta water if needed: If you feel the sauce is too thick, slowly stir in pasta water until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
• Add yogurt off the heat: Both yogurt and cheese should be added to the pan off the heat, otherwise it will curdle.
• Whisk and stir well: After each step make sure to stir constantly to avoid lumps.

What to Serve Alfredo Sauce With?

• Pasta: The most popular, obvious choice is to enjoy a big comforting bowl of fettuccine alfredo, or really any type of pasta garnished with more parmesan, pepper, and fresh parsley.
• Low carb noodles: Keep it low carb with spaghetti squash noodles or zoodles.
• Add protein and veggies: Top your noodles with chicken or shrimp, and mix in some vegetables like peas, broccoli, and spinach.
• Substitute for marinara sauce: Use healthy alfredo sauce instead of marinara sauce in dishes that do not require prolonged baking time over 10 minutes. Otherwise alfredo will curdle.
• Cheese sauce: Dip or cover your favorite veggies in this delicious cheesy sauce. Use it to make alfredo mac and cheese (add sauce at the end to avoid curdling).

Storage and Reheating Tips

Store: Pour cooled alfredo sauce into a jar or airtight container, it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Do not freeze. The cheese and yogurt will separate after thawing, this sauce is best enjoyed fresh and it’s super easy to make!

Reheat: You can quickly reheat the sauce in the microwave or let it simmer on low heat with a splash of milk. If heating in a small pot, be sure to stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.

FAQs

More Healthy Sauce Recipes to Try

• Easy marinara sauce
• Greek yogurt tartar sauce
• Healthy Thai sweet chili sauce

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Healthy Alfredo Sauce

Healthy Alfredo Sauce recipe is light, creamy, and takes less than 10 minutes to make. Serve it over your favorite pasta for a quick meal.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 82kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Box grater
• Ceramic skillet

Ingredients

• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 3/4 cup chicken broth low sodium
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large skillet on medium heat and add oil. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
• Add chicken broth, cornstarch, salt, pepper and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for a 1-2 minutes until sauce has thickened a bit.
• Remove skillet from heat, add Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and cheese has melted.
• Add yogurt and stir again until smooth. That’s it, serve with noodles or chicken.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend to freeze this alfredo sauce because often milk, cheese and yogurt separates after thawing. Enjoy fresh and it’s quick to make.
• Reheat: Reheat in a microwave or by simmering on low heat in a small pot with a splash of milk, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 353mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g

The post Healthy Alfredo Sauce appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

These Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs are flavorful and tender with a juicy middle. Super easy to make with a 4 ingredient marinade, and ready in 30 minutes!

We also keep these baked bone-in chicken thighs on our regular weeknight rotation.

Whenever I’m short on time but really want a delicious, healthy dinner these beautifully seasoned oven baked boneless chicken thighs are my answer.

So no matter how tight your schedule is, this is an affordable, family-friendly dish you need in your back pocket!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Flavorful: Chicken thighs are already rich in flavor. Once you add in my secret ingredient, they become mouth-watering delicious!
• Easy: With only 5 staple ingredients, little prep work, and short cooking time.
• Versatile: This recipe is high up on my go-to healthy chicken recipes list because you can use your favorite spices, marinate them for up to 24 hours or don’t marinate at all, and they go with any side dish!
• Old family recipe: I grew up with this recipe and still make it over and over again to this day. It means it’s good!
• Crowd pleaser: Everyone who tries it, loves this chicken thighs recipe.

Ingredients for Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

You’ll need chicken thighs and just 4 simple ingredients to make this baked boneless chicken thighs recipe.

• Chicken thighs: 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs. That was 8 chicken thighs for me.
• Mayo: We use mayonnaise instead of olive oil for this chicken marinade, it really locks in the moisture and yields juicy chicken thighs every time.
• Spices: The combination of onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt add to the rich flavor of mayo.

How to Bake Boneless Chicken Thighs

Baked boneless chicken thighs is an easy 30 minute meal that’s virtually hands off. Here’s a quick overview, you’ll also find a complete recipe card with full instructions below.

Start by preheating your oven to 425 F.

• Make the marinade: Add mayo, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt to a large bowl and whisk.
• Coat the chicken: Add chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat, I find using tongs is easiest for this step. Once all pieces are evenly coated, you can bake right away or marinate for up to 24 hours.
• Bake: Once you’re ready to bake, grab your 9×13 baking dish and place chicken thighs in a single layer, make sure they aren’t overlapping. Leave uncovered and bake chicken thighs for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 160 F – 165 F.
• Rest and serve: Remove chicken thighs from the oven and cover the dish with tinfoil. Let them sit for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle and flavors to deepen.

How Long to Bake Boneless Chicken Thighs?

How long to bake boneless chicken thighs all depends on the oven temperature you choose. I prefer to bake my chicken thighs at 425 F.

Here’s a time chart to guide you. And remember chicken thighs vary in size, so grab your meat thermometer and make sure the center reads a minimum of 160 F. They’ll continue cooking as they rest.

Tips for Best Results

Here are the top tips that kept this old family recipe a favorite for so many years.

• Don’t over cook: Chicken thighs are easy to prepare and very forgiving but they will come out dry if overcooked.
• Marinate if you can: Overnight is best but even marinating for a few hours will ramp up the flavor.
• Bake in a single layer: You can squeeze chicken thighs in tight in a single layer because they will shrink and release juices as they bake. This way they will also brown a bit and have a nice color for presentation.
• Bake uncovered: Covering the dish will steam the chicken rather than roasting it.
• Let them rest: Do not skip this step! It’s the secret to perfectly tender chicken, all it takes is 5 – 10 minutes of rest time under tinfoil.

Variations

• Skip mayo: You can add a tad more protein and fewer calories by using yogurt like in my yogurt marinated chicken. Plain yogurt and Greek yogurt both work great.
• Grill them: If it’s still warm enough where you are to cook outdoors, toss them on the grill and they’ll be ready in a flash. Here’s how to grill chicken thighs.
• Different seasoning: Smoked paprika adds color and flavor, you could also try chili powder, cayenne pepper, or taco seasoning. If you’d like to add some garlic flavor, use garlic powder instead of onion powder.
• Add herbs: Dried herbs like oregano, parsley, rosemary, basil, or marjoram pair well with paprika. You can even mix them up to create your own spice blend.

What to Serve with Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs?

Anything! Keep things light and quick and serve baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with a simple butter lettuce salad, a bright tomato cucumber bell pepper salad, or a sweet and spicy Thai cucumber salad.

For something a bit heartier and comforting, we love the viral Jennifer Aniston salad, caprese pasta salad, or a traditional Ukrainian spread with healthy mashed potatoes to soak up all that savory sauce.

If you’re feeding a crowd you can dress it up with an easy appetizer, a grain such as Instant Pot brown rice or Instant Pot quinoa, roasted vegetables, and dessert – it will be a hit!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. These boneless chicken thighs are delicious cold and great for your weekly meal prep.

Freeze: Once they’ve completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container and they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw them in the fridge overnight, if frozen. Then preheat your oven to 350 F, cover, and bake cold chicken thighs for about 10 minutes. You will notice that their juices will solidify and gelatinize in the fridge, which is normal and will melt once reheated.

FAQs

More Chicken Thighs Recipes to Try

• Roasted chicken thighs and potatoes
• Instant Pot chicken thighs
• Crockpot chicken thighs
• Baked chicken and peppers
• Chimichurri chicken

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Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs flavorful and tender with a juicy middle. Easy to make with a 4 ingredient marinade, and ready in 30 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 4 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 29 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 346kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons mayo
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, add mayo, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt. Whisk well with a fork.
• Add chicken thighs and using tongs, toss to coat completely. Now you can bake them immediately or marinate for up to 24 hours for more flavor.
• Arrange chicken thighs in a tight single layer in large 9×13 baking dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers at least 160 F.
• Remove chicken thighs from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite side dishes!

Notes

• Store: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. They are perfect for meal prep and taste amazing cold.
• Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Covered in preheated to 350 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 chicken thighs | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 415mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g

The post Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

These Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas are loaded with shredded chicken and poblano peppers, wrapped in earthy Swiss chard, and layered with homemade enchilada sauce and cheese.

I keep these in rotation with my chicken enchiladas and enchilada skillet for days when I want to prepare more substantial meal!

I’m not going to lie, I love tortillas! Along with enchiladas, my family often enjoys chicken burritos, chicken tostadas, chicken quesadillas, and even a taco skillet along with the many tacos we eat!

But sometimes, I want something a little lighter, which is where these low carb chicken enchiladas come in to save the day!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Delicious: From the perfectly seasoned chicken to the fresh cilantro garnish, these baked enchiladas are meaty, cheesy, and saucy.
• Easy: This is one of Mexican recipes with a longer list of ingredients and more labor involved, but surprisingly they come together quite easy!
• Healthy comfort food: Loads of fresh ingredients and no tortillas! It’s a hearty healthy dinner perfect during the cooler months.
• Customizable: You can swap the swiss chard for low carb tortillas and poblanos can be substituted too. Please see info below.

Ingredients for Low Carb Enchiladas

This low carb chicken enchiladas recipe comes together with 5 main ingredients, simple seasonings, and optional garnish.

• Swiss chard: You can use white Swiss chard or red Swiss chard, try to pick ones with big leaves for rolling.
• Poblano peppers: These mild green chili peppers can be found in most grocery stores. When you prepare them, you want to remove the seeds and dice into small pieces. See for substitutions below.
• Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced. I cooked my chicken with the peppers but you can use leftover chicken as well, check out my tips below.
• Cheese: We love shredded Tex Mex cheese, but you can use any type of shredded cheese that melts such as cheddar cheese, Mexican cheese blend, Colby jack cheese, Mozzarella cheese, or Monterey jack cheese.
• Tomato sauce: Use whatever you have on hand, I prefer a tomato sauce with no added salt or low sodium. I know that authentic enchilada sauce doesn’t have it but we are using it.
• Spices: We use chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to season the chicken and the savory homemade sauce.
• Oil: Any neutral cooking oil that’s good for frying such as avocado oil or olive oil.
• Optional toppings: For garnish, I love adding fresh cilantro and a splash of lime juice. Then I’ll serve this family favorite dish with a side of diced avocado.

How to Make Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas

These healthy chicken enchiladas are divided into 4 easy-to-make sections – prep the greens, make the sauce, cook the chicken, then assemble and bake.

There is a full recipe card located below.

• Prep Swiss chard: Rinse Swiss chard leaves under cold water then use a kitchen towel to pat dry. Lay each leaf flat on a cutting board, then prepping one leaf at a time, use a sharp knife to remove the membrane and cut into 2 lengthwise pieces. Once you’ve done this with all the leaves, you should have 12 “tortillas”. Set aside.
• Make the enchilada sauce: Pour tomato sauce into a medium bowl, then add your cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

• Sauté peppers: Pan fry diced poblanos along with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, stirring just a few times to keep the peppers from burning.
• Cook the chicken: Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes, while stirring a few more times.
• Add enchilada sauce: Add in 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to the skillet, stir and set aside.

• Prep your baking dish: Set your oven to 400 F. Use a spatula to spread a bit of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Set aside while you assemble the enchiladas.
• Roll enchiladas: Assemble one enchilada at a time by placing a leaf on a cutting board, scoop the chicken mixture into one end, and roll tightly. You should end up with 12 rolls in your baking dish.
• Add toppings: Evenly distribute the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove enchiladas from the oven, cover with tinfoil, and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

You can enjoy restaurant quality enchiladas at home by following my helpful tips.

• About rolling: The amount of chicken added depends on the size of leaf. I was able to add 1/4 – 1/3 cup to each leaf without any spilling out.
• Roll them tightly: Each one should be rolled tight enough to keep the chicken mixture inside. You also want to fit all 12 enchiladas in your baking dish, so roll them as tight as you can.
• Leftover filling: If you have any chicken mixture left over, spread it in between the rolls in the dish.
• Use leftover chicken: Don’t let your chicken go to waste. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, oven baked chicken breast, Instant Pot chicken breast, or air fryer chicken breast, feel free to shred and toss in.
• Use any enchilada sauce: Pick up a jar of no sugar enchilada sauce, gluten-free enchilada sauce, or green enchilada sauce. Or use homemade enchilada sauce.
• Let them stand: Letting them rest helps enhance the flavors but also allows them to set so they don’t fall apart.

What Can I Use Instead of Poblanos?

Poblanos are very mild chili peppers. Like 1 on a scale of 5 mild, even the seeds are significantly milder than jalapeños’. They are sweet peppers with soft texture and a bit of a heat kick. Perfect to add flavor without extra calories to any Latin dish.

I was able to find poblanos in 3 out of 4 grocery stores in my area. Please note red poblanos are hotter than green ones.

If you can’t find poblanos, no big deal. You can easily substitute them with 2 green bell peppers plus a few seeded jalapeños. You can leave some seeds in for more heat.

Other Variations

• Swap the protein: For a beef alternative cook up some ground beef or use leftover taco meat. Shredded turkey with taco seasoning is also delicious, and if you’re a shrimp taco fan like me, swap the chicken for chopped air fryer shrimp or grilled shrimp.
• Chicken thighs: Feel free to use baked boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are perfect for dark meat lovers but contain more fat.
• Vegetarian option: Add extra cheese and your favorite roasted veggies. Mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, spinach, and zucchini come to mind.
• Toppings: Serve with a dollop of sour cream, shredded lettuce, green onion, salsa, guacamole, homemade Pico de Gallo, or salsa verde.

What to Serve Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas with?

For a full rounded low carb meal, I’ll often whip up one of our favorite Mexican inspired side dishes:

• Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
• Chicken tortilla soup
• Mexican cauliflower rice

How to Store

Store: If you have any leftovers, cover them with foil, or transfer enchiladas to an airtight container, and refrigerate for 2 – 3 days. Collard greens do not get soggy like lettuce would.

Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these low carb enchiladas as the greens will become soggy when thawed. I find them to have an unpleasant texture.

FAQs

More Low Carb Chicken Recipes

• Chicken zucchini casserole
• Tex Mex chicken and zucchini recipe
• Healthy chicken lettuce wraps
• Chicken zucchini noodles
• Zucchini lasagna rolls

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Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas

Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas with shredded chicken and peppers, wrapped in low calorie greens, and layered with sauce and cheese.

Course Casserole

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Low Calorie

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking dish

Ingredients

For the Enchiladas:

• 6 large Swiss chard leaves
• 3 medium poblano peppers seeded & diced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin ground
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Tex Mex cheese shredded
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• Avocado, cilantro, lime for garnish, optional

For the Enchilada Sauce:

• 14 ounces can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Rinse Swiss chard leaves with cold water and dry with kitchen towel. Lay flat on a cutting board, one leaf at a time, and using sharp knife remove the membrane and cut into 2 parts lengthwise. Repeat with remaining leaves. You should end up with 12 "tortillas". Set aside.
• To make enchilada sauce, in a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk and set aside.
• Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to coat. Add poblanos with a pinch of salt and pan fry for 5 minutes, stirring just a few times.
• Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, chicken, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Turn off heat, add 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and stir. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread a bit of enchilada sauce on the bottom of large 9" x 13" baking dish. Set aside.
• To roll enchiladas, place one swiss chard leaf on a cutting board, top one end with 1/4-1/3 cup chicken mixture (depending on its size) and roll tightly. Place into previously prepared baking dish and repeat this step with remaining enchiladas. You should end up with 12 rolls. Spread any remaining chicken mixture on top.
• Top enchiladas evenly with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Serve warm with avocado, cilantro and lime, if desired.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 2 – 3 days. I don’t recommend to freeze this dish as greens will become soggy.
• Poblanos replacement: Poblanos are mild green chili peppers that are sold in many supermarkets. If you can’t find poblanos, substitute with 2 green bell peppers  and 2 seeded jalapeños. This substitute will give you similar flavor, sweetness and spiciness as poblanos.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 enchiladas | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 532mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

The post Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Juicy, flavorful and tender Instant Pot Chicken Breast from fresh or frozen. 25 minutes from start to finish, simple ingredients and no searing required. Cooking chicken breast in the Instant Pot is so easy!

Instant Pot Italian chicken breast and Instant Pot BBQ chicken breast are my other go-to on a busy weeknight or a weekend!

This Instant Pot chicken breast is easy, simple and forgiving.

Don’t you always have a pack of chicken breasts in your freezer?! Now you can make juicy chicken breast in Instant Pot from fresh or frozen in just 30 minutes.

I have been making slow cooker chicken breast for years. It’s a great recipe, the only downside is that you have to remove cooked chicken right away to avoid it being dry.

So, this easy Instant Pot chicken breast recipe solves the problem because chicken breast is done in 25 minutes or so. I just love Instant Pot! It makes the best Instant Pot rice and beans without soaking the beans, and Instant Pot lasagna with no need for a springform pan.

If you are not a blessed electric pressure cooker owner just yet, check out my baked chicken breast or chicken breast in air fryer recipes.

Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Chicken Breast

• Quick and easy: All you have to do is rub chicken breasts with spices and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. With pressure build up and bringing it down, you are in for a maximum of 30 minutes cooking time. You don’t even have to saute your meat but you can, if you wish.
• Cook from fresh or frozen: Forgot to thaw your chicken breasts this morning before going to work? No problem. Even frozen chicken breasts in Instant Pot are ready in 30 minutes!
• Tender, juicy and flavorful chicken breast: I can guarantee you will end up with the best chicken breasts you have ever tried! Pressure cooker locks in all the moisture inside the meat resulting in mouthwatering tender chicken breast every time.

Ingredients You Will Need

To make Instant Pot chicken breast you really need only chicken breasts and water. Everything else is up to your taste and what you are planning to serve it with.

If you are adding cooked chicken breast to salads, quesadillas or tostadas, I would not worry about seasonings much. If you are planning to eat it alongside grains and veggies, I would pay attention to spices.

• Chicken breasts: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, fresh or frozen.
• Salt and pepper: Simple seasonings so your chicken is a ‘blank slate’ for recipes.
• Garlic powder: If you wish, but not required.

How to Cook Fresh Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

1. Add water: Add 1 cup cold tap water and place trivet on top. You want to use cold water so warm water doesn’t reduce the cook time. If you don’t have trivet, just place breasts on the bottom of Instant Pot. Some readers like to use chicken stock or chicken broth instead, especially if cooking without trivet.
2. Add chicken breast in Instant Pot: Lay chicken breasts in a single layer, sprinkle with spices and rub onto each other right inside the pot. You can also do so on a separate plate but I find it isn’t necessary.
3. Pressure cook chicken breast: Depending on the model of your Instant Pot, you will have to press either Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual button. Set timer for 10 minutes – for breasts under 2 inch thickness, 15 minutes – for over 2 inch thick breasts.
4. Release the pressure: Now you want to wait 5 minutes aka do Natural Release for 5 minutes. Then turn the pressure valve to Venting position to release remaining pressure. Your chicken is ready. I find you do not have to rest the meat with chicken breasts cooked in Instant Pot.

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

1. Add water: You always want to start with 1 cup cold thin liquid like water or broth when cooking in Instant Pot. Don’t add warm water because it will skew the cook time and your chicken will come out undercooked.
2. Add chicken: When cooking frozen chicken breasts, it is very important to make sure each breast is separated. If you add a blob of frozen breasts, you will end up with raw meat inside and overcooked chicken outside. Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot in a single layer.
3. Season it: You won’t be able to rub spices or sear frozen chicken, so just sprinkle seasonings on top.
4. Pressure cook: Press Pressure Cook on High (Duo model) or Manual (LUX) for 15-18 minutes. I would say chicken breasts under 2″ thick in the thickest part – cook for 15 minutes. Over 2″ – cook for 18 minutes.

Check out my Instant Pot frozen chicken breast recipe for detailed info. And if you have an air fryer, you can cook frozen chicken breasts in air fryer as well.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in Instant Pot?

With all the different sizes and models of this electric pressure cooker, you might be wondering how long to cook chicken breast in the Instant Pot?! And it’s a valid question.

You need to answer only 2 questions:

1. Are you using fresh chicken breasts or frozen chicken breasts?
2. How thick are they?

I have put together these cooking time charts for your quick reference:

Tips for Best Results

• If you don’t have a trivet: It’s OK to place chicken breasts in water and cook without a trivet. I have tried it many times and it makes them even more juicy. I never got a Burn notice.
• Don’t use Poultry button: Poultry setting has preset time that is not customizable to the size of your chicken breasts. Also poultry is a very large concept ranging from chicken tenders to bone-in whole chicken.
• Don’t do Quick Release: If you release pressure right away after cooking, it will make your chicken breast dry. I recommend to wait 5 minutes and then turn valve to Venting.
• Don’t throw away the liquid: It is basically chicken broth and is perfect for making soup recipes.
• Make gravy: If you have seasoned your chicken breast with extra spices and seared it, then you will have flavorful cooking liquid sitting at the bottom of the pot. Make gravy with it. Press Saute button and in a small bowl, make a slurry with 2 tablespoons cold water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Pour it in, whisk and cook until gravy has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Size of Instant Pot you can use: Any size of Instant Pot works for this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe. It comes in 3 quart, 5 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart. Same recipe. Same cooking time. Same water amount. Just make sure chicken breasts fit in a single layer.
• If your Instant Pot is small: If you want to cook large amount of chicken breasts in 3 quart pot, do so in a few batches. Piling up chicken in a few layers will result in undercooked chicken.
• Bone-in and skin-on chicken breasts: Cooking time remains the same. You do not need to cook them longer because 10-15 minutes of cook time along with about 10 minutes of pressure build up time, is enough to cook through thin chicken bones.

What to Serve Instant Pot Chicken Breast with?

There are so many ways to answer the question on what to do with cooked chicken breast! It sure is a welcome addition to a variety of recipes like salads, enchiladas, casseroles and sandwiches.

Here are a few ways to turn it into a meal:

• Instant Pot shredded chicken: Shred meat with 2 forks, refrigerate and use to make chicken salad or healthy white chicken chili.
• Diced chicken breast: Chop it up to add protein to cottage cheese pasta, vegetable soup or borscht.
• Low carb meal: Make my favorite ratatouille recipe to have with chicken for a complete meal.
• With sauce: Combine shredded chicken with healthy barbecue sauce or teriyaki sauce.
• With salad: Serve with Instant Pot potato salad.

How to Store Leftovers

Store: Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Weekly meal prep: Refrigerate whole or cubed chicken breast and use throughout the week for lunches. Sub out your sandwich deli meat or use in salads.

Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge or on a counter.

More FAQs

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot chicken and rice that we make every month!
• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes everyone will love, trust me!
• Instant Pot white chicken chili is creamy and made healthier.
• Instant Pot frozen whole chicken – rotisserie style whole chicken.
• Instant Pot whole chicken – any mom’s best friend.
• Butter chicken in the Instant Pot comes out just like the restaurant’s!
• Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos with only 3 ingredients.

Also be sure to check out these 20 healthy freezer meals you can cook from frozen in your Instant Pot. And here you can browse 45 other healthy Instant Pot recipes and our entire category of Instant Pot recipes.

Print

Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Juicy, flavorful and tender Instant Pot Chicken Breast from fresh or frozen. 25 minutes from start to finish, simple ingredients and no searing required.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 295kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Trivet
• Steam diverter
• Replacement ring

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless chicken breasts fresh or frozen*
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To the Instant Pot, add water and place trivet inside.
• Lay chicken breasts in a single layer (if using frozen make sure they are separated) and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly with tongs or hands.
• Close the lid and set pressure vent to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes (under 2" thickness) for fresh, or 15 minutes (over 2" thick) for fresh and frozen chicken breasts (any size).
• Display will say ON, Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, you will see a bit of steam coming out from a valve, then float valve will rise and countdown will begin.
• After 10-15 minutes your chicken is ready, Instant Pot will beep and display will say OFF. Wait 5 minutes and do Quick Release by turning sealing valve to Venting position.
• Open the lid and your chicken breasts are ready for meal prep, casseroles, salads etc. Shred or cube, and save the stock at the bottom for soup.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in a fridge or on a counter.
• *If using frozen chicken breasts make sure they are separated. Think about it before freezing a whole tray, separate them with parchment paper.
• Feel free to use chicken broth instead of water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1breast | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 400mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Instant Pot Chicken Breast appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is the perfect low carb side dish that’s ready in 15 minutes! Served warm or cold, it adds zesty flavor to any lunch or dinner.

Not a cilantro fan? Make my Mexican cauliflower rice or cauliflower fried rice instead.

This easy cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe is filled with tender riced cauliflower, a spritz of lime juice, and a ton of fresh cilantro. I’ve also added garlic and a kick of jalapenos for a more flavorful dish that will never disappoint.

I am a huge rice fan and was hesitant to try cauliflower rice recipes, but this herby veggie alternative is here to stay as part of my go-to Tex-Mex recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Taste: I love how cilantro and lime balance each other out. Once combined, you have a bright Mexican flavor.
• Easy: A simple one pot recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes!
• Versatile: Add cauliflower rice with cilantro and lime to veggie taco bowls, fill in a burrito, or bulk up a salad.
• Healthy: This vegetable side dish is naturally low carb and fits into to any diet plan. It’s gluten free, vegan, paleo, and keto friendly.
• No-mess method: Use a bag of store-bought cauliflower rice to keep your kitchen clean with no flying bits.

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Take bland cauliflower up a notch with these simple ingredients. Here’s what you need to make cilantro lime cauliflower rice.

• Cauliflower rice: You can save time and money with a frozen bag from the store or rice your own cauliflower rice. Here’s an easy guide how to make cauliflower rice using a food processor.
• Onion: Finely chopped, sautéed onions add a wonderful depth of flavor.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic cloves will yield the best results. You can use jarred in a pinch.
• Jalapeño: Add a slight level of heat and bright color with fresh jalapenos. You can omit, if you like.
• Spices: All you need is salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Fresh cilantro: Cilantro is one of the most flavorful fresh herbs. If you’re not a fan, swap with fresh parsley or chives.
• Lime juice: The juice of one lime adds zesty flavor, feel free to add in the lime zest too! You can substitute with lemon juice but the taste will be different or try both, the combination would add a bright, tangy taste.
• Oil: Use any cooking oil for frying. I prefer avocado oil or olive oil.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is super easy to make, follow these step-by-step instructions and photos.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Sauté aromatics: Add oil to a heated large skillet and swirl to coat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
• Sauté cauliflower rice: Stir in cauliflower rice, salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes until warmed through and still a bit firm, then turn off heat.
• Add finishing touches: Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, squeeze in lime juice, and stir. Taste and adjust any seasonings.
• Serve: Serve warm or cold with your favorite Mexican or seafood dish.

Tips for Best Results

Make the perfect low carb side dish with these helpful tips.

• Do not thaw frozen cauliflower rice: The excess moisture from defrosting cauli rice will result in a watery mess.
• Don’t overcook: To achieve a rice-like texture cook cauliflower rice for a maximum of 5 minutes, you want to cook it al dente.
• If making your own cauliflower rice: Follow my step-by-step cauliflower rice tutorial. Do not over process into mush. Use stalk from the head of cauliflower as well for large bits and pieces.
• For more heat: Turn up the heat by leaving jalapeno seeds in or add in some cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes.

What to Serve Cauliflower Rice with?

On the weekend, I used cilantro lime cauliflower rice as the base for grilled cedar plank salmon, then topped it with mango salsa. Wow, it was delicious!

This Mexican style cauliflower rice is great alongside so many weeknight favorites and is meal prep friendly! We especially love it next to cilantro lime chicken, carne asada steak, low carb chicken enchiladas, and healthy chicken enchiladas.

It’s also a healthy addition to burritos, burrito bowl, or tacos with a heaping spoonful of guacamole.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Once completely cooled, cauliflower rice can be kept in a freezer safe storage container for 2-3 months.

Reheat: Quickly warm up in the microwave or sauté it again in a preheated skillet on medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Meal prep: Cauliflower rice can be made 2-3 days in advance. Store in glass meal prep containers, add your favorite protein and you have the perfect easy lunch.

FAQs

More Cauliflower Recipes to Try

• Thai cauliflower rice
• Cauliflower rice with zucchini
• Cauliflower risotto
• Cauliflower pizza crust
• Cauliflower breadsticks

You may also enjoy these 14 frozen cauliflower rice recipes!

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Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is the perfect low carb side dish that’s ready in 15 minutes! Serve it warm or cold.

Course Side

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 67kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Ceramic skillet

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cauliflower rice frozen or fresh
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1 jalapeno seeded & minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch more
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
• 1 lime juice of
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add cauliflower rice, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes or until warmed through and still al dente. Turn off heat.
• Add cilantro and lime juice. Stir cauliflower rice, taste and adjust any seasonings to taste, if you wish.
• Serve warm or cold with grilled meats and with tacos as a side dish.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 173mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

The post Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Simple Butter Lettuce Salad tossed in an oil and vinegar dressing and layered with green onion and fresh dill. This very simple side dish is fresh, crisp, and goes with anything!

We also love this 10-minute simple spring mix salad!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Very simple recipe: This quick and easy butter lettuce salad recipe is a variation of my lettuce salad with cucumber and tomatoes, but I wanted to keep this one simple and the dressing very heavy on vinegar with lots and lots of fresh herbs. I love those!
• Healthy and delicious: Butter lettuce is brimming with vitamins making it very nutritious, and fresh herbs are both healthy and add tons of flavor.
• Versatile: You can make this delicious side with any green leaf lettuce like romaine lettuce, green lettuce or iceberg lettuce and it will be perfect year round for any occasion.

What Is Butter Lettuce?

Butter lettuce is named for its soft, tender texture and large delicate leaves. Also called Bibb lettuce, Boston lettuce, or butterhead lettuce, this variety of green leaf lettuce is bright green with a mild floral flavor that’s sweet to taste.

It’s great for salads and the outer leaves make perfect lettuce wraps.

Ingredients for Simple Butter Lettuce Salad

Butter lettuce salad is made with bright green lettuce, fresh herbs, and a tangy homemade healthy salad dressing.

• Butter lettuce: I used one head, which gave me 7 cups once chopped. You can use any lettuce you like, and remember a salad spinner is the quickest way to wash and dry your greens.
• Fresh dill: I love the citrus-like taste of dill, it’s always my go-to for simple healthy salad recipes, especially those dressed in a vinaigrette.
• Green onion: This small veggie adds a punch of flavor. If you want a less oniony taste omit the white bulbs, the green part has a milder flavor.
• Salad dressing: An easy and healthy mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

How to Make Butter Lettuce Salad

4 easy steps and 10 minutes is all it takes to make butter lettuce salad. You can make it any time and pair it with any main dish.

There is also a full recipe card below.

• Combine vegetables and herbs: Add chopped lettuce, green onion, and dill to a large mixing bowl.
• Dress the salad: You don’t need to whisk the dressing separately, just drizzle the oil and vinegar on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Mix: Gently toss salad until combined. I find salad serving spoons are easiest to use for mixing.
• Serve: This delicious salad is best served immediately and goes well with any meat, chicken or seafood.

Tips for Best Results

Here are 5 tips for making the perfect salad with butter lettuce.

• Add a lot of fresh herbs: Large handfuls of herbs add so much flavor and keep the salad light and fresh.
• Make and serve it right away: Lettuce salads are best served within the first hour after tossing. Even with a small amount of dressing, the leaves wilt quickly.
• Treat it as a simple side dish: This simple green salad is a delicious co-star to your favorite main dish.
• Reduce vinegar: I wanted a dressing that was heavy on vinegar but a little goes a long way for flavor, so feel free to reduce it. If you’d like to add a citrus kick, then adding some lemon juice or lime juice would work well.
• Season more to taste: Measure with your heart, herbs and spices really up the flavor. Try a variation of herbs like fresh parsley, mint, basil, or chives. Garlic is another easy way to add more taste.

Variations

• Make it creamy: If you’re in the mood for a creamier salad, add a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt or my personal preference, sour cream. A dash of Dijon mustard also makes the dressing creamy with a touch of heat.
• Add crunch: My boys will always top their salads with sourdough croutons. You could also add some toasted nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, or pecans. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds also add crunch while keeping it nut-free. And sometimes I’ll even sprinkle some panko breadcrumbs on top.
• Crunchy vegetables you can add: Cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and bell peppers cut into bite-sized pieces are great for adding crunch, color, and flavor. Apples are great too for a sweeter crunch.
• Play with lettuce: I love tender butter lettuce leaves but any green leaf lettuce would work for this recipe.
• Other ingredients that would go well: Parmesan cheese is always a go-to garnish. Add olives, banana peppers, artichokes or sun-dried tomatoes. And if you’re a huge dill fan, you could also chop up some pickles.

What Do You Serve This Salad with?

This very simple green salad goes with literally anything from cozy weeknight dinners like easy spaghetti recipe, cauliflower shepherd’s pie or a delicious sirloin tip roast, to grilling season must-haves, and lunch time favorites grilled cheese and healthy tuna melt.

How to Store

Store: You can refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container, make sure to use up within 24 hours for best results.

Freeze: Do not freeze, because of the high water content lettuce will turn to mush and salad will be soggy.

FAQs

More Lettuce Recipes to Try

• Healthy chicken lettuce wraps
• Grilled romaine lettuce
• Italian chopped salad

More Salad Recipes to Try

• Arugula feta salad
• Arugula beet salad

Print

Butter Lettuce Salad

Simple Butter Lettuce Salad tossed in oil and vinegar and layered with green onion and dill. 10 minute side dish that goes with anything!

Course Salad

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 76kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Salad spinner

Ingredients

• 7 cups butter lettuce or any green lettuce chopped
• 1/2 cup dill finely chopped
• 3/4 cup green onion finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add lettuce, dill and green onion.
• Drizzle with oil and vinegar, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Using salad serving spoons, toss salad gently until combined.
• Serve immediately as a simple side dish with any meat, chicken or seafood.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
• To make ahead: Refrigerate lettuce and herbs covered in a bowl for up to 24 hours. Add oil, salt and pepper right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Simple Butter Lettuce Salad appeared first on iFoodReal.com.