April 26, 2016 (Updated February 22, 2023)

How to Make Chicken More Interesting

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

16 comments

A few nights ago, Matt and I made a super simple (but delicious) dinner that I thought was worth sharing. Want to know how to make chicken, rice, and veggies more interesting? Add black beans!

how to make chicken more interesting

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Maybe it’s just me, but for some reason the addition of black beans makes the meal so much more delicious. Try it and let me know what you think! Reminds me of all the yummy chicken, rice, and beans that we had on our honeymoon a few years ago. 🙂

We had some leftovers from that dinner so I turned it into an easy packed lunch for work today, along with the addition of some other leftovers from our homemade weekend brunch – sweet potatoes, peppers, and mushrooms!

how to make leftovers taste good

I had a feeling the leftovers would taste good together so I dumped them all into one container. Easier transport. 🙂

leftovers for lunch

Looking forward to eating it shortly! Nice mix of carbs (a little brown rice + sweet potatoes), protein (chicken + black beans), and lots of veggies (asparagus + peppers + mushrooms).

I also packed a bunch of snacks to enjoy throughout the week – a big bag of roasted chickpeas, a KIND bar, a new Kashi bar (delicious – free sample), an almond butter Perfect Bar (obsessed), and an orange I picked myself in the orange groves in Florida. 🙂

IMG_9695

What are you noshing on this week?

What are your best tips for making chicken more interesting/less boring?

Here are a few of my other chicken recipe faves:

Poultry
- anne

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16 comments
    • Anne
      Oooo good tip! Do you marinate them or just put a little oil/salt/pepper on them beforehand?
      Reply
  • Annie
    I have serious lunch envy. What are some good ways to increase the volume of food without increasing calories? I add a lot of veggies to dinner, but sometimes you need something a little more hearty. Any suggestions?
    Reply
    • Anne
      My best tip is definitely the veggies - and serving meals on top of salad greens/spinach! Make sure you have a good mix of protein/carbs/fat too so it's satisfying.
      Reply
  • Shel@PeachyPalate
    I just love crispy skinned roast chicken on the bone! Can't beat the leg meat! I only really ever eat chicken breast in a curry or for making my own chicken tenders, paleo style! Made them recently with a layer of Franks hot sauce and coated them in ground cashews!!! SO GOOD!
    Reply
    • Anne
      All of those things sound delicious!
      Reply
  • Sue
    Do you think the Kashi bar has too much sugar? I am interested in trying them, but noticed they have 2 types of sugar, invert cane syrup and tapioca syrup....plus dates, 8g of sugar per bar.
    Reply
    • Anne
      I don't think that's too much, especially since the bar packs some good protein and healthy fat! It didn't taste too sweet, either.
      Reply
  • Stella
    As I sit here eating my lunch of chicken, rice & broccoli with spicy peanut sauce, I realize that I usually add a flavorful fat to a meal for both taste and satiety. Usually peanut sauce, cheese or guacamole. I'll also had frank's buffalo sauce or Stubb's BBQ sauce for some extra flavor if I'm adding cheese or guac.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Flavorful fat makes such a difference for sure! Avocado would have been a good addition to our dinner :)
      Reply
  • Heather @ Polyglot Jot
    yum! I find that marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking helps the chicken to be way more tender. I grew up with a lot of baked chicken that was often dry so i never regarded chicken as exciting until the art of marinating!
    Reply
    • Anne
      Yes - marinating FTW! And if you don't have time to marinate... add black beans instead. ;)
      Reply
  • masala girl
    yum! i always think leftovers are better, i'm weird. those roasted veggies mixed in all thogether look so good!
    Reply
  • Roadrunner
    Love black beans! Great addition...
    Reply