9 healthy steps to eating more chicken and turkey

Light meats like chicken and turkey are great for a square meal without the calories and fat. For a healthier diet, take a look at these easy recipe ideas.

Add chunks of cooked white meat chicken or turkey breast to white-bean chilli to bump up the protein content. The combination of flavours is fantastic as well.

This recipe makes a rounded, delicious meal. Follow these easy instructions:

• Grab a pack of boneless, skinless tenders and some pre-cut vegetables, such as squash, broccoli, green and red bell peppers, and onions.
• Dump them all in a pan with a spritz of olive or canola oil and some low-sodium broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
• Season with garlic, ginger, basil, tarragon, or just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
• Cook until the chicken's done and the veggies are as crunchy — or soft — as you prefer.

Bon appétit!

Many food stores today offer rotisserie chickens for sale. Pick one up and when you get home, strip off the skin, remove the meat from the bones, and drain off the sauce. That way, you get rid of the fat and the excessively high sodium levels of the store-applied marinade.

What's left is deliciously healthy, lean chicken meat, ready for instant eating. Serve it up on its own, shred it into soup or onto salad, or add to vegetables.

Grocery stores typically stock skinless, boneless breasts, thighs and fast-cooking breast-meat strips called chicken tenders. Don't let price stop you from stocking up on them.

As these healthier, quicker-to-prepare alternatives to whole birds grow in popularity, their prices are falling fast. Also, 100 percent of what you buy ends up in your meal, as opposed to the waste of a whole chicken.

Marinades make your poultry amazingly tender, moist and flavourful. The day before you intend to cook, place the raw chicken in a sealable container, pour on a marinade, cover, and refrigerate until cooking time the next evening.

Almost any liquid can be the base: orange juice, buttermilk, a vinaigrette, even a cup of yogurt. Add your favourite herbs and spices for flavour.

If you want even greater convenience, use a store-bought low-fat marinade. Then cook your favourite way. Remember to discard marinades once you've removed the chicken.

Use it as you would use ground beef in chilli, meat loaf and burger recipes.

Slice, then refrigerate or freeze leftovers for use later in turkey burritos or turkey salad. You can toss diced turkey with low-fat mayo, chopped apples, walnuts, celery, and grapes.

Once the seasonal meals are over you can make the most of your turkey supply. Place cubed turkey, sliced cooked sweet potato, cranberries, and walnuts on a bed of spinach and drizzle with your favourite olive-oil dressing.

Likewise, after Thanksgiving and Christmas put skinless, boneless turkey cutlets in zipper-seal bags and freeze. Thaw in the microwave, then sauté in a skillet with a dash of olive oil.

You do your best cooking, whether a big family meal or a solo dinner, when you plan. Think ahead for your use of chicken and turkey in your meals for health, nutrition and delicious meals.

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