PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad
PCOS-Friendly Lunch

PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad - PCOS-Friendly Recipe

A quick and easy Italian chicken salad, perfect for a PCOS-friendly lunch.

25 minutes
2 servings
350 cal / serving

This PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 350 calories, 30g protein, and 15g carbs per serving. Ready in 25 minutes. High in fiber (3g), which supports insulin sensitivity.

Nutrition per Serving

350 Calories
30g Protein
15g Carbs
20g Fat
Grocery list: Chicken breasts, mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper. Low GI ingredients: Chicken, salad greens, olives, cucumber.

Ingredients

Servings 2

Instructions

  1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

  2. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side.

  3. Let chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice into thin strips.

  4. In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion.

  5. Top salad with sliced chicken.

  6. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

  7. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

This Italian Chicken Salad is a perfect PCOS-friendly lunch. It's packed with lean protein from the chicken and healthy fats from the olives and olive oil. The salad greens, cucumber, and tomatoes provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium. The low GI ingredients help to regulate blood sugar levels, which is important for managing PCOS. This recipe is also part of the Mediterranean diet, which is known for its health benefits.

Why this PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad works for PCOS

With 30g of protein per serving (about 34% of calories), this PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad sits at the top end of the 25-35g per-meal range that the 2023 International PCOS Guideline recommends for managing insulin resistance and supporting lean mass. Higher-protein meals also blunt the glucose response when carbohydrates are included, which matters for women with PCOS because chronic insulin elevation drives androgen excess and irregular cycles.

At 15g of carbohydrates per serving, this PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad is on the lower-carb end, which suits women with PCOS who have confirmed insulin resistance or who notice strong post-meal energy crashes. Pair lower-carb meals like this with a generous portion of non-starchy vegetables to keep fibre intake up.

Fat makes up about 51% of calories in this dish. Dietary fat plays a load-bearing role in PCOS because sex hormones are synthesised from cholesterol, and very-low-fat eating can suppress hormone production over time. The 2023 PCOS guideline does not specify a strict fat target, but most clinicians recommend at least 25-35% of calories from a mix of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated sources.

Lunch is where most PCOS meal plans either succeed or collapse. A meal like this PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad that combines adequate protein, fibre-rich carbs, and fat keeps blood sugar stable for the rest of the workday and reduces the late-afternoon energy crash that drives sugar cravings around 3-4pm.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, this PCOS Italian Paleo Recipes: Lunch - Italian Chicken Salad recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 350 calories per serving with 30g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 3g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.

This recipe takes about 25 minutes total. Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 15 minutes. It makes 2 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.

Per serving: 350 calories, 30g protein (34%), 15g carbs, 20g fat. Plus 3g 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 Lunch. At 350 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Lunch. 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 2 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.

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