Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables - PCOS-Friendly Recipe
This Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 389 calories, 23.96g protein, and 34.85g carbs per serving. Ready in 55 minutes. High in fiber (3.4g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 medium zucchini
- 4 oz feta cheese
- 8 leaves basil
Instructions
- Bring the quinoa and chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan; reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pan.
- Simmer until the broth is absorbed, the quinoa is fluffy, and the white line is visible in the grain, about 12 minutes.
- While quinoa is cooking, chop garlic and onion. Dice zucchini and tomato.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet; cook and stir the garlic scapes and onion until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken breast strips and cook until the chicken is still slightly pink in the middle, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove the chicken meat and set aside. Pour 2 more tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet and cook and stir the zucchini and tomato until the zucchini is tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet and sprinkle with feta cheese, basil leaves and lime juice.
- Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and hot, about 10 more minutes. Serve over hot quinoa.
How This Recipe Supports PCOS Management
Understanding the nutritional profile of what you eat is a powerful step in managing PCOS. Here is how the key ingredients in this Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables contribute to your health goals:
- Chicken: Protein-rich meals help manage insulin resistance common in PCOS
- Quinoa: Has a lower glycemic index than most grains, making it ideal for PCOS
- Olive oil: Anti-inflammatory properties make it especially beneficial for PCOS
- Garlic: May help reduce cholesterol levels often elevated in PCOS
- Feta: Provides calcium important for bone health in PCOS
PCOS Diet Principles in This Recipe
The PCOS diet focuses on three core principles: reducing inflammation, managing insulin resistance, and supporting hormonal balance. Every recipe in our collection is evaluated against these principles. This recipe excels in providing protein-rich ingredients that help regulate appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin), and anti-inflammatory spices that target the chronic inflammation underlying PCOS. As part of a balanced PCOS meal plan, we recommend pairing recipes like this with a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week to ensure you are meeting all your micronutrient needs.
Meal Prep Tip: This Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meal prepping is one of the most effective strategies for sticking to a PCOS-friendly diet, as it removes the temptation to reach for processed convenience foods when time is short.
PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe
This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Chicken Breast, Basil.
Skinless chicken breast, often heralded for its lean nutritional profile, is undeniably a powerhouse when it comes to protein content. With an impressive 21 grams of protein packed into every 100 grams of the breast, it emerges as a preferred choice for those conscious about their protein intake. Delving deeper into the nutritional matrix of chicken, one can't overlook the copious amounts of vitamin B6 it houses. This particular vitamin plays an indispensable role in our body, especially when di...
You Have a Recipe. But Do You Have a Full Week?
One great recipe is a start. A complete PCOS meal plan is a system. Here is how to go from one meal to a full week of eating that supports your hormones.
Free. Personalized. No signup required to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 389 calories per serving with 23.96g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 3.4g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 55 minutes total. Prep time is 30 minutes and cook time is 25 minutes. It makes 4 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 389 calories, 23.96g protein (25%), 34.85g carbs, 17.32g fat. Plus 3.4g fiber. PCOS meal plans typically aim for 30% protein, 35% fat, 35% carbs to support insulin sensitivity.
Yes, this recipe works well as a PCOS-friendly Dinner. At 389 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Dinner. Pair it with other PCOS-friendly foods throughout the day for balanced nutrition.
This recipe can be part of a structured PCOS meal plan. It makes 4 servings, making it great for meal prep. For a complete weekly plan tailored to your PCOS type, take our free 60-second quiz at pcosmealplanner.com/pcos-quiz to get a personalized 7-day meal plan.
Cook Another PCOS-Friendly Dinner
Each recipe you add to your rotation makes PCOS management easier. Variety keeps you from getting bored and quitting.
Comments
Register or log in to add a comment