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Tuscan Chicken
Prep time:5 mins- Cook time:20 mins
Servings:1
High protein chicken recipes don’t have to be bland and boring. Our Tuscan Chicken is packed full of flavour and nutrients, ideal for fasting and non-fasting days. It takes just five minutes to prepare, and provides over half your daily recommended protein per serving. Plus, it can be batch booked ahead of time and portioned out in the freezer ready for a quick high protein chicken recipe to enjoy when you need a convenient meal.
Chicken is a ‘complete protein’, as it contains all nine essential amino acids needed for muscle growth, brain function and overall health. It’s a lean protein that is low in calories, making it an excellent ingredient to play with on fasting days and during a weight loss journey. Eating high protein chicken recipes on fasting days will help you stay fuller for longer and energised throughout the day, so make sure you give this a recipe a go if you’re following an intermittent fasting eating pattern like The 5:2™ Diet or The Very Fast 800.
The chicken in this dish is paired with greens like baby spinach and green peas for added flavour and vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse as it’s rich in iron, Vitamins A, C and K, as well as folate and magnesium, while the green peas are packed with fibre, plant protein and antioxidants. This high protein chicken recipe is brought together with its creamy parmesan sauce, making for a rich and indulgent meal sure to keep you satisfied until you next eat.
Serve with a side of fresh green salad or low calorie non-starchy vegetables, or for non-fasting days or family members feel free to serve over wholemeal pasta. For more high protein chicken recipes like this Tuscan Chicken, head to The Fast 800 Programme here.
Ingredients
- 120g boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs, or Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 15g sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 60g baby spinach
- 70ml cream
- 10g parmesan, grated
- 45g green peas
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the herbs, and some salt and pepper. In a pan (one with a lid) on medium heat, heat the oil and sear the chicken on each side for a few minutes until browning. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onion to the same pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, then mix through the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add the spinach, wilt for a minute, then stir in the cream and parmesan. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the peas, nestle the chicken into the sauce, pop on the lid and cook until heated through and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Season to taste, and enjoy!
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Notes
- Serve with a crunchy green salad or steamed low calorie non-starchy vegetables if you wish.
- Non-fasting day or cooking for the family? Add a serving of wholemeal or pulse pasta, or wholegrain sourdough bread.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat and serve.
- Batch cook and freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Defrost and reheat before serving.
- Some brands of cheese (including parmesan) may contain rennet so are not strictly vegetarian. Check the product you buy uses vegetarian ingredients. Brands vary, it is always important to read labels first.
- If substituting with frozen spinach, use about 3/4 of the weight of the fresh spinach.
