Poultry

WHILE MOST PEOPLE KNOW TURKEY ONLY as sliced cold cuts or a whole roasted bird for Thanksgiving dinner, turkey tenderloins are a versatile, tender cut. The citrus-herb marinade is crucial to both the flavor and the texture of the dish because it helps tenderize the meat and boosts the flavor. Serve this dish with Sausage-Oyster Stuffing, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, or Apple-Pecan Stuffing with Dried Cherries (pages 167–71), and you can enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving all year long.

THIS MEATLOAF IS DRESSED-UP COMFORT FOOD. Made with ground turkey, chicken sausage, and cheese curds, it’s a healthy dish that might just replace your mom’s recipe as the best meatloaf around. You can use any cheese, but we like using curds because they don’t melt completely, adding texture in every bite, while the cheese curds on the outside of the meatloaf get deliciously caramelized. The leftovers make terrific meatloaf sandwiches.

SLOPPY JOES, THE OLD CHILDHOOD FAVORITE, get a makeover in this weeknight dish. With turkey instead of beef and the addition of corn, cilantro, and jalapeño, this is no ordinary joe. Spoon this flavorful mixture into hamburger buns or warm tortillas for a kid-friendly main course, or try it over rice or in a lettuce cup.

LEFTOVER POACHED CHICKEN FROM OUR CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE has seemingly endless creative uses. Serve the salad over fresh greens, or roll the chicken in a wrap for a quick lunch. Fresh corn and bell peppers add both flavor and crunch to this dish.

THIS HEALTHY SALAD, made with crunchy cabbage, sweet carrot, juicy chicken, and fresh cilantro, gets a bite from the lime jalapeño dressing.

CHICKEN AND AVOCADO SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT in this simple yet elegant salad. This will become an instant favorite of the avocado lovers in your house, and it’s an easy lunch or quick dinner.

WHILE SOME PEOPLE THINK IT’S TOO HARD or takes too much time to make homemade chicken soup, this recipe was originally created for a kids’ cooking class to illustrate how easy it is to make pure foods instead of opening up a can. You don’t need many ingredients or much time; take 20 minutes to prep and 35 minutes to simmer, and within an hour you’ve got a healthy, flavorful soup to enjoy all week.

SECRET INGREDIENT Loaded with fiber, barley provides a filling, low-calorie base for this whole-grain salad, so all you need to add is a single chicken breast—and plenty of vegetables—to turn it into a satisfying meal for four.

GOOD TO KNOW Here a low-fat, yogurt-based chicken salad is served over lightly dressed mixed greens; it would also make a light—and packable—lunch when used as a sandwich filling, between slices of whole-wheat bread.

GOOD TO KNOW Because they contain more fat than leaner breast meat, chicken thighs are good candidates for grilling: They stay tender and juicy after cooking.

FLAVOR BOOSTER A ginger-and-lime yogurt marinade spiked with chopped jalapeños adds tang and a little heat to skinless chicken thighs. Peach chutney makes a tart-sweet, low-fat accompaniment. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for thirty minutes before grilling.

FLAVOR BOOSTERS Lean ground turkey is just the start when preparing lower-calorie burgers; these are made supermoist and juicy with the somewhat unexpected addition of reduced-fat sour cream, mango chutney, Dijon, and chili powder; torn pieces of whole-wheat bread help bind the meat as it cooks.

FLAVOR BOOSTER A fragrant sauce made from a handful of pantry standbys—including soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and red-pepper flakes—serves as a marinade for the chicken and a dressing for the finished salad. Feel free to substitute pork or beef for the chicken.

SMART SUBSTITUTION Try a mix of yogurt and lemon juice for a tart, creamy pasta sauce without a lot of fat. This satisfying pasta salad, made with whole-wheat penne, makes a great summer supper; pack any leftovers for a workday lunch.

GOOD TO KNOW Thinly pounded chicken breasts, known as paillards in French cuisine, cook through in just a couple of minutes—perfect for a quick, low-calorie midweek dinner.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Just three-quarters of a pound of beef serves four as a main course when rolled around a filling of peppers and cheese and accompanied by a leafy salad. This dish is just as delicious (and even leaner) with chicken or turkey cutlets instead of beef.

GOOD TO KNOW The full-flavored traditional Mexican sauce called mole is made from dried chile, garlic, tomatoes, chocolate, and spices. Serve the leftover sauce with pork or use it to make enchiladas. Here, a salad of romaine and radish plus rice flecked with scallion completes the meal.

FLAVOR BOOSTERS This one-dish meal is a great example of how the bright notes of lemon (zest and juice) and parsley can help reduce the need for unwanted fat. The recipe is very adaptable; if you have other vegetables such as fresh spinach or snap peas on hand, add them to the couscous at the end. You can also substitute the leg and thigh meat from a rotisserie chicken.

FLAVOR BOOSTER A spicy dry rub is a great, no-calorie way to flavor skinless chicken breasts. Combined with red onion and lime juice, heart-healthy avocado creates a soothing salsa for a nice balance of hot and cool.

GOOD TO KNOW Like chickpeas and other legumes, lentils are high in fiber and protein and have very little fat. Adding them to main dishes allows you to cut back on the amount of animal-based proteins such as poultry and beef.