One of Leah Itsines’ go-to proteins? A humble piece of chicken breast.
While this healthy staple has a hard-to-shake reputation for being a bit of a bore (chicken, rice and broccoli, anyone?), Leah wants you to know there are plenty of ways to prepare your chicken breast so it’s packed full of flavour.
“People think chicken breast is boring because they’ve made it boring,” Leah says. “It’s such a clean meat that people sometimes don’t know what to do with it.”
With the right preparation, sauces, seasoning and cooking technique, boring, dry chicken breasts can quickly become a thing of the past. Here are Leah’s four favourite ways to take chicken breast to the next level.
Poach it
Whether you’re poaching your chicken within a flavourful broth and adding noodles for a delicious chicken noodle soup or simmering it within a coconut curry sauce, poaching is a great cooking technique to add some much needed flavour and dimension to your dish.
The breast will absorb the flavour of whatever it’s poached in and stops the meat from drying out when it’s cooked at a low, gentle heat (hello, juicy chicken!). Poached chicken that’s left to cool and then sliced or shredded also makes a great addition to any salad that needs an extra protein hit.
Crumb it
One of Leah’s go-to meal prep shortcuts? Crumbed chicken breast. Once prepped, lay flat in a single layer snap-lock bag to put in your freezer and then pan fry, air fry or oven bake until golden and crispy when you’re ready to enjoy it.
“I love making chicken schnitzel in bulk,” Leah says. “We’ll have it with a salad, in burgers or in a chicken katsu bowl.”
Oh, and this one always gets her daughter Gigi’s seal of approval.
Marinate it
“This one feels so simple but it can be a great shortcut to a delicious meal as the chicken takes on so much flavour and then cooks really well,” says Leah.
You can find marinade options for a range of different cuisines and reserve some of it to use as a finishing sauce to add to the final product. Ready to give a marinated chicken recipe a go? Leah’s Lemongrass Chicken Bao Buns in the YogaFokus app take full advantage of the marinade sauce, and they’re also a great meal prep option.
Stuff it
“I love to slice a pocket into the breast and stuff it with some of my favourite ingredients like spinach and ricotta. I then pop it in the oven to bake and serve it up alongside Mediterranean vegetables for an easy and delicious weeknight meal,” shares Leah.
There are so many delicious flavour combinations you could opt for for your filling, from sun-dried tomato, feta and basil to roasted capsicum, pesto and mozzarella. Stuff and fill until your heart’s content!
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Cook with Leah in the YogaFokus app
Ready to try some of Leah’s go-to chicken breast recipes in the YogaFokus app? Choose from her delicious Lemongrass Chicken Bao Buns, Chicken Cashew Rice Bowls and Chicken Pesto Pasta. Unlock these recipes (and hundreds more) with a 7-day free trial.