Chicken Breast for Athletes – All Martial Arts and Martial Arts

Chicken breast recipes for athletes

Chicken breast is a very nutritious product that is indispensable for people who have chosen sports as a lifestyle.
The Internet is replete with all kinds of recipes for cooking chicken breast. However, not all of them comply with the principles of a balanced diet. What is meant by a balanced diet? Regular saturation of the body with the necessary nutrients and beneficial substances, supplied in the right proportions (a certain amount of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins). At the same time, attention is focused on “proper carbohydrates,” unsaturated fats, and easily digestible proteins.

Healthy eating and the role of chicken breast

The body's lack of some component invariably leads to problems associated with metabolic disorders, leading to loss of energy, increased fatigue, weakened immunity and even neurological disorders. Representatives of the fair sex, for example, fade before our eyes: their hair becomes brittle, their skin takes on an unhealthy tint, and their attractive, perky look disappears somewhere.

Healthy nutrition is designed to maintain excellent health and appearance, promote fruitful work, and effective training. Everyone knows that protein is a building material for our body. If a person’s goal is to form muscle relief, then care must be taken to ensure sufficient protein intake in the body. Otherwise, you should not think about a beautiful figure or building muscle mass.

Chicken breast, with its minimal fat content and high protein content, is perfectly digestible and is one of the main dietary foods. Such properties have become the basis for including chicken breast in the diet of athletes.

Chicken breast is a source of protein

Chicken breast is a source of protein.
The building material for building muscle mass is protein or protein. You can make up for protein deficiency with the help of special cocktails. Nutritionists specializing in sports nutrition recommend using such mixtures only in combination with natural products, and be sure to consume natural protein. In terms of the content of this substance, chicken breast meat is second only to some seafood: a 100-gram serving contains 23-25 g of protein. It's easy to get natural protein from chicken breasts without loading your body with unnecessary calories. The daily requirement for protein is calculated individually, but we take the following principle as a basis: the athlete’s dry body mass is multiplied by the training intensity coefficient and divided by 1000. So, if the weight is 80 kg and the proportion of fat is 10%, then the dry body mass is 72 kg .

Some training intensity ratios:

1.4 – moderate, 3 times a week,
1.6 – moderate daily,
1.8 – intense daily,
2.0 – pre-competition period, competitions.

In the example described above, with moderate training 3 times a week, the protein requirement is 72x1.4/1000=101 g.

Nutritional value and composition of chicken breast

For 100 chicken breast:

Proteins: 23.6 g.
Fat: 1 g.
Carbohydrates, 0.4 g.
Calorie content: 113 kcal.

In addition to a good protein indicator, chicken breast is replete with all kinds of useful microelements (potassium, zinc, phosphorus, iron). American nutritionists who conducted a study of this product came to the conclusion that chicken breast contains a fairly large amount of melatonin, which is responsible for preventing cell aging, prolonging the active period of life and youth. Thanks to all this, chicken meat is considered one of the leaders among nature’s sources of protein.

Anyone who has followed any kind of diet at least once in their life, or who has been seriously involved in sports, knows firsthand about the moral difficulties associated with eating the same food. However, with chicken fillet the situation is different. After all, you can use it to prepare an unimaginable number of delicious dishes that meet all the principles of a healthy diet.

Chicken breast is an integral part of sports nutrition

Since protein is necessary for muscle growth, products containing it should be fully present in the sports diet. The ideal option is chicken breast. In addition to the fact that it contains a lot of protein, it is also a dietary product, since it contains a minimal amount of fat and calories.

The calorie content and composition of chicken breast are as follows per 100 grams of raw weight:

calorie content – 113 kcal;
proteins – 23.6 grams;
fats – 1 gram;
carbohydrates – 0.4 grams.

By the way, keep in mind that the weight of a cooked chicken breast is less than a raw one. Chicken fillet, containing a minimum of fat and carbohydrates, is well digestible and is considered one of the best dietary products. Therefore, it is very important to include it in the diet of everyone who wants to eat healthy, and especially those who want to build muscle mass.

Despite its low calorie content, breast fills well and the feeling of fullness remains for a long time. In addition, it contains all kinds of useful macroelements: potassium, zinc, phosphorus, iron. Chicken meat is considered one of the best sources of protein. In addition, studies in the field of nutrition have shown that the high content of melatonin in chicken meat prevents premature aging of cells. The B vitamins present are involved in metabolic processes, improving it.

Cooking methods

When cooking chicken at home, you should remember to maintain the maximum amount of protein and add a minimum amount of fat. Therefore, the best options would be steaming or grilling, boiling, or baking in the oven. Let's take a closer look at each of the methods.

Boiled chicken fillet

This method is the most common, but it cannot be called the best solution, because during cooking, a fifth of the protein remains in the water. If you are a fan of boiled meat, then the water in which you are going to immerse the chicken must be brought to a boil. This measure will help reduce losses. Onions, parsley, carrots or celery root added during cooking will get rid of the bland taste. You need to add salt when cooking comes to an end. The entire procedure should last about twenty-five minutes.

Steaming

This method is preferable. By choosing it, you will save the maximum amount of proteins. You can diversify the taste of meat with the help of vegetables added to your taste. Before cooking begins, the fillet is cut into medium-sized pieces and placed in a double boiler along with vegetables. After half an hour spent there, it is ready to eat.

Baking in foil

In order to get juicy and flavorful meat, they resort to baking chicken fillet in foil. Place the chicken fillet along with vegetables (e.g. pumpkin, broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers) and seasonings in a pre-folded foil pocket. To add sophistication to the taste, you can add soy sauce or a little red wine. Then the dish goes into the oven and is baked at a temperature of one hundred and eighty degrees for about half an hour. Here, as with steaming, a lot of variations are possible with seasonings and vegetables. By changing the ingredients and introducing new ones, you will achieve truly stunning results, you will remain full and satisfied.

Grill

The above options are healthier than grilling chicken, but it may happen that you are expecting guests who don’t quite understand the passion for healthy eating.
If you want to satisfy their gastronomic needs, but do not want to deviate from your principles, then a grill is the best choice. True, even without using fat, you cannot neutralize the negative aspects due to the release of carcinogenic substances during frying. Therefore, leave this method for special occasions. These days, sticking to a healthy diet is much easier than in the old days. On store shelves there is an abundance of all kinds of products for every taste. In addition, such a universal thing as a multicooker has become firmly in fashion. With its help, with little time spent, you can create a real culinary masterpiece from an ordinary chicken breast. Moreover, this feat can be accomplished by people who are amateurs in the field of cooking. You just need to read the instructions included with the product, place the fillet and cauliflower inside the device, set the “Baking” mode, wait forty-five minutes and start eating. The beauty of cooking with a slow cooker is that a person with no cooking skills can prepare a decent meal. Another advantage is the impossibility of evaporation of useful substances from food.

Universal tips for juicy and flavorful fillets

Chicken breast should be marinated before cooking. Make the base for the marinade from low-fat fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt), soy sauce, and lemon juice. You can mix one hundred grams of yogurt with two teaspoons of lemon juice and a small amount of Tabasco sauce.

Place the chicken breast in the marinade and keep it there for at least half an hour. Then place the meat in a steamer, bake or steam it. Rest assured, you will feel unprecedented pleasure from the result of your efforts.

Don't get carried away with adding salt. Eating it in large quantities will sooner or later affect your health, and you risk ruining the dish. The fact is that salt draws liquid from meat. As a result, it will become tasteless and dry. People experienced in cooking prefer to use various aromatic herbs, soy sauce, ginger, and all kinds of seasonings.

Prolonged heat treatment also steals the taste. Of course, the meat should not be raw. However, thirty to forty minutes is enough to bring the dish to full readiness.

Don't think that learning the secrets of cooking chicken breast will take a lot of time. Nevertheless, there must be a certain skill in this matter. Don’t be lazy to study all the wisdom, and your reward will be the constant presence of tasty and healthy food on your table.

Recommendations

To ensure that the chicken fillet turns out not bland, but juicy and has an interesting taste, it must be marinated in advance. Choose ingredients for this taking into account that it is dietary: low-fat yogurt, kefir, soy sauce, lemon juice. You can make a marinade using yogurt, spices, lemon juice and grainy mustard. Or another option: mix a small low-fat yogurt with two teaspoons of lemon juice and add a little Tabasco.

The marinating time should be at least an hour, otherwise the meat simply will not have time to soak. After this, cook the marinated fillet in a double boiler, bake in foil, stew or grill. Also keep in mind that salt retains fluid in the body, which causes swelling, so try to keep salt to a minimum. In addition, an over-salted dish will not be juicy and will lose its taste. It is best to use soy sauce, ginger, seasonings.

Do not get carried away with the length of time you cook the meat, as this can cause it to become almost tasteless. It will take about half an hour to finish cooking the breast. Plus, if you overcook it, it will become tough.

How to properly cook chicken breast for athletes

Chicken breast is a food product that is simply irreplaceable for athletes. Recipes for cooking chicken breast can be found on the Internet and in every women's magazine. But to choose the right method for you, you need to know the basics of healthy eating.

A balanced diet involves regularly feeding the body with all the necessary nutrients. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates must be supplied to the human body constantly and in the required quantities. It is worth noting that this means proper carbohydrates, unsaturated fats and easily digestible proteins.

Other breast recipes

Cut the breast into cubes, fry (optional) in vegetable oil and mix for the carcass with canned or pre-soaked beans. Stew. At this time, cut the onions and carrots into cubes (you can first lightly fry them in vegetable oil). When the beans and meat are almost ready, add onions and carrots, as well as salt, vinegar, sugar, tomato, pepper and hot spices to taste. Fast and tasty.

Marinate the meat

Marinated chicken breast means brightness of flavor and not dry meat, this Italian style mix is suitable for a quick meal. Mix olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon each dried parsley and basil. Add ½ teaspoon oregano, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper and a little minced garlic. Marinade 500 grams of chicken breast for at least 10 minutes, then place on the grill or bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until the juices run.

Stuff the chicken

Don't be intimidated: stuffed chicken is easy to prepare. Simply pound the meat with a hammer, brush with olive oil, add fresh basil, sprinkle with Parmesan and a little garlic. Seal the edges of the chicken together with toothpicks, place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Use your imagination – You can stuff chicken with almost anything, including healthy foods like spinach and broccoli.

Bake the chicken

Are you starving after work or after training? Place the chicken on a baking sheet, top with chopped tomatoes, seasonings such as oregano or sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear. See how simple it is? While you rest and take a shower, dinner will be ready.

Prepare chicken shish kebab

Slice vegetables such as peppers, onions, zucchini into rings, then skewer them, alternating with diced pieces of chicken breast, and grill or bake.

Chicken stir-fry

A light Asian-style dinner will certainly beat Chinese takeout.

Toss diced chicken and vegetables into a flavorful sauce for an easy stir-fry. The resulting chicken and vegetable stir-fry recipe is delicious and contains many nutrients.

Bread the chicken

Dip the chicken breast pieces into the egg whites and breadcrumb mixture, place in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the juices run clear. The crust keeps the juices in and adds a nice crunch to the fries—Colonel Sanders can't beat you. (You can also try delicious chicken recipes.)

Make chicken in pita bread

Chicken breast is not just for dinner. Take chicken with you for lunch and you will provide yourself with a boost of energy for the whole working day. Cut a few slices of leftover chicken from dinner and wrap it in pita bread with salsa, cheese and your favorite vegetables, or try this recipe for grilled chicken in pita bread.

Based on materials:

Role in diet

If the body begins to receive less of one of the components, then all sorts of metabolic disorders occur. Symptoms include lack of energy, increased fatigue, and weakened immunity. Often, especially in women, problems with the condition of the skin and hair begin to occur.

Healthy nutrition is the basis for excellent health, a brilliant appearance and effective workouts. If the main goal you pursue when training is to create a beautiful muscle definition, then the amount of protein entering your body is the main thing you should take care of, because without protein there can be no question of maintaining or building muscle mass.

The high protein content of chicken breast and the almost complete absence of fat makes it irreplaceable, as well as one of the main products for dietary nutrition and weight gain. Another characteristic of chicken breast is the fact that the human body very easily absorbs the protein it contains. This is why chicken breast is so necessary for athletes in their diet.

Iron Health

It has long been known that protein is needed to build muscle mass. The sports nutrition industry introduces more and more new protein-based products every time, but they are only nutritional supplements to the natural protein that we get from food.

Chicken breasts: BJU

Quantitative composition of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (per 100 g):

Proteins – 23.6 g.
Fats – 1.9 g.
Carbohydrates – 0.4 g.
Calorie content – 113 kcal.

Why can't you replace foods with sports nutrition? The fact is that natural protein products, in addition to the protein itself, contain many other useful substances necessary for the full functioning of the body. If we talk about natural sources of protein, then the leader here, of course, will be chicken breasts . Their meat has not only a large amount of protein, but also a record low fat content. Even eggs are noticeably inferior here. So, for example, a standard 185 gram serving of chicken breasts contains 40 grams of protein, 187 calories and only 2 grams of fat. In addition, they contain substances that are extremely necessary for athletes:

Niacin is a vitamin responsible for converting food energy into muscle energy. One chicken breast contains a daily dose of this vitamin. In addition, niacin has been scientifically proven to increase muscle strength and endurance.
Vitamin B6 has many beneficial functions for the body, but for an athlete it is useful because it is responsible for converting glycogen into muscle energy. Vitamin B6 is especially important for strength athletes, since their muscles work on blood sugar stored in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen.
Iron – this substance helps oxygen penetrate muscle tissue. Iron is an essential component of blood. With its deficiency, a decrease in muscle strength and endurance is observed.
Selenium – This substance plays many roles in the human body. It is enough that with selenium deficiency, sexual weakness and impotence begin to develop. In addition, selenium is responsible for the production of thyroid hormones, which maintains metabolism at the proper level. With a lack of this substance, conditions for obesity are created and muscle growth slows down.
Zinc is a substance that increases the level of anabolic hormones and strengthens the immune system. It has been scientifically proven that overtraining is associated with a decrease in immunity under the influence of strength loads. That is why chicken breasts are also a means of preventing overtraining.

Thus, chicken breasts can rightfully be called the basis of nutrition for bodybuilders. It is worth noting that chicken breasts should be eaten without the skin, since it contains a large amount of saturated fat, which tends to be immediately deposited. Therefore, before serving the breasts, remove the skin from them.

Composition and nutritional value

Do you know how much protein is in chicken breast?
Reference information on the nutritional value of chicken fillet (per 100 g of product):

proteins: 23 g,
fats: 1 g,
calorie content: 110 kcal.

In addition to its solid protein content, chicken fillet is also rich in a number of essential micronutrients. It is rich in iron, zinc, phosphorus and potassium. Moreover, American nutritionists, in the course of their research, discovered that chicken fillet is a valuable source of the hormone melatonin, a sufficient amount of which in the body is responsible for inhibiting cell aging, prolonging a person’s youth, as well as the period of his activity.

That is why chicken is deservedly considered a leader among natural sources of protein.

Anyone who has tried to maintain a healthy diet for a long time knows how difficult it is to eat the same food over and over again. Moreover, there is a common misconception that chicken is boring. This is truly a myth as there are so many affordable and healthy recipes that use chicken.

Boiled chicken and muscle gain

The protein in boiled chicken is a complete protein of animal origin, which is indispensable for the structure of muscle tissue. It helps in renewing old cells and creating new ones, actively participates in metabolism, and provokes muscle growth. In addition, athletes value chicken for other advantages:

low-calorie, but nutritious, so it allows you to “dry out” with good fat loss and muscle preservation;
contains many vitamins and microelements to maintain the athlete’s health;
economical: protein from chicken is cheaper than protein from the meat of other animals, but more expensive than proteins from eggs and cottage cheese.

The protein content of chicken meat is ideal for athletes, but that's not all. It contains useful microelements and melatonin, which prevents cell aging and promotes an active lifestyle. The verdict is clear: boiled chicken is good for health, burning fat, gaining muscle mass and good mood.

Cooking methods

When preparing chicken at home, remember that the main thing we need is to maintain the maximum amount of protein and add a minimum amount of fat. Therefore, the following preparation methods will be the most acceptable for our purposes:

cooking,
cooking in a steamer,
baking in the oven,
grilling.

Let's look at what we can get with each of them.

Boiled chicken fillet

The most common, but not the most successful method. When cooking, 15 to 20% of the protein goes into water, depleting the meat itself. If you really need to cook chicken, under no circumstances put it in cold water, wait until it boils, then place the fillet. This will significantly reduce losses. Add celery root, parsley, carrots and onions to the cooking water. Thanks to this, the fillet will not be so bland. If you add salt, do it at the very end. Don't overcook the chicken. It only takes 25 minutes to get ready and maintain its juiciness.

Steaming

This is a more correct way. This way you can preserve the maximum amount of proteins. By adding any vegetables you like to the meat, you can prepare a new dish every day. The universal recipe for cooking chicken breast in this case is as follows. Cut the fillet into medium-sized pieces and place in a steamer along with the vegetables. 30 minutes of cooking will be enough for the dish to be ready.

Baking in foil

This is a method of cooking chicken breast that produces juicy, flavorful fillets. Fold a pocket of foil, place chicken fillet there, add a mixture of your favorite aromatic herbs, as well as vegetables (for example, broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, pumpkin). You can add a tablespoon of white wine or soy sauce. At the same time, pinch the pocket and place in the oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. The same variations with this dish are possible as when steaming. By changing the set of seasonings or vegetables, you will prepare a new dish every time.

Grill

If your soul wants a holiday, cook the fillet on the grill. Fat is not used, but an unforgettable aroma and a good mood are guaranteed. We warn you that frying produces carcinogenic substances in any case, so this method should become the exception rather than the rule.

There is another universal way to cook chicken. For those who always want to have a healthy lunch, but do not have time for long cooking, there is the opportunity to cook chicken breast in a slow cooker. To do this, you can use the recipes from the book that comes with the multicooker, and also prepare your own dish. Place a portion of chicken and cauliflower in a bowl. Place the bowl in the multicooker, turning on the last one for 40-45 minutes. It is better to use the “Baking” mode for this, so you save all the juice inside the chicken.

How to cook chicken

When choosing among the existing variety of recipes, it is important to remember that the main condition is to preserve the protein contained in the breast to the maximum and minimize the amount of fat.

This can be done using the following preparation methods:

cooking in a pressure cooker;
cooking;
baking in the oven;
on the grills.

Boiled chicken fillet

Boiled chicken is one of the most common cooking methods, but it is far from the most successful, because during cooking, up to 20% of the protein goes into the broth, depleting the meat. If you like this method more than others, then at least do not put the breast in cold water. Wait until the water boils before adding the fillets. This will reduce protein loss. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley to the pan in which the chicken fillet is cooked. Thanks to them, the fillet will not be bland. Salt is added to the broth at the end of cooking. Uncooked meat is much juicier. You need to cook it for no more than 25 minutes until it is ready.

Steaming chicken

In this case, the protein is preserved better, so the method is more correct. By adding various vegetables to chicken, you can diversify the menu. The universal recipe for steaming meat is as follows: cut the fillet into pieces and place it in a steamer along with vegetables, where they are cooked for 30 minutes.

Chicken baked in foil

Meat prepared this way is aromatic and juicy. To prepare, fold the foil to create a pocket. Place chicken fillet in it, add your favorite spices and vegetables: pumpkin, bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans or broccoli. Soy sauce or a tablespoon of white wine will add a piquant taste to the meat. After pinching the pocket, place it in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for 30 minutes. The variations when preparing a dish are the same as when steaming: by changing vegetables and herbs, you can eat different dishes each time.

Grilled chicken

Grilled fillet is a delicious holiday dish with an unforgettable aroma, prepared without fat. However, carcinogenic substances are formed, as with any frying, so the dish cannot be called dietary and its preparation should become a pleasant exception rather than the rule. A great mood is guaranteed with him.

Finally, the slow cooker method.

It is suitable for those who do not have free time, but want to eat healthy food. You will definitely find the recipe in the book that comes with the multicooker, but you can also use the one below. Place chicken fillet and cauliflower in a bowl, which are placed in a multicooker set to the “Baking” mode for 40-45 minutes. This will allow the juices to remain inside the chicken fillet.

Universal tips for obtaining aromatic juicy fillets

Before you cook the chicken breast, marinate it. Low-fat yogurt, 1% kefir, lemon juice or soy sauce are perfect as the basis for an original and healthy marinade. For example, mix 100 g of yogurt (kefir), 2 tsp. lemon juice and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
Place the fillets in the marinade for 30-40 minutes. After this, you can steam it, bake it or put it in a slow cooker. The meat will remain juicy, tender and flavorful.
Salt is the worst possible seasoning. It draws juice out of the meat, making it dry and tasteless. Instead of salt, it is better to use soy sauce, ginger and aromatic herbs. This will diversify the taste of the chicken and maintain its juiciness.
Don't get carried away with heat treatment. Cooking chicken breast requires an average of 30-40 minutes, no more. Most often, meat loses moisture and becomes tough precisely due to too long heat treatment.

Having mastered these basic culinary secrets on how to cook chicken breast, you will be able to prepare a variety of dishes every time, without depending on ready-made recipes. You'll be surprised how varied your diet can become.

Universal tips that will help you prepare aromatic and juicy fillets

Before cooking, marinate the chicken breast using low-fat yogurt, soy sauce, lemon juice, and one percent kefir as a marinade. You can also mix 100 kefir or yogurt with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, adding a little Tabasco sauce to it.

The fillet is placed in the marinade for 30-40 minutes, and then steamed, in a slow cooker or baked. As a result, the meat becomes aromatic, juicy and incredibly tender.

Salt draws out the juices from the meat, making it dry and tasteless. Therefore, it is not advisable to use this seasoning. It is better to use aromatic herbs, ginger, and soy sauce instead - the juiciness of the chicken will be preserved.

Overcooking causes loss of moisture, causing the meat to become tough. It takes on average 30 to 40 minutes to cook.

That's all the tricks for cooking chicken breast. Learn and eat right!

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Video: Fast, tasty and healthy. Cooking chicken breast.

Simple chicken breast recipes for athletes

Chicken breast is a dietary protein product that is very popular among athletes. Chicken fillet contains a lot of protein, is relatively inexpensive and easy to prepare. But this does not mean that it should be tasteless. We have prepared dietary recipes for chicken breasts for weight loss so that the dish contains a lot of protein, is healthy and tasty for athletes and everyone who follows a healthy diet.

It's considered a source of protein for a reason, but there's one problem: it can be, well, boring. If you are puzzled by the question of what to eat quickly after a workout or what to cook for dinner to impress a girl. “Chicken breast is like jeans,” “You can make it fancy or simple and casual.”

Tips for Cooking Chicken Breasts on a Diet

To avoid spending a lot of time going to the store and save it for training, buy a supply of buzzers for the whole week and wrap each one in a separate bag. Then toss everything in and freeze - this way you can buy the chicken ahead of time and easily defrost it for a quick post-workout meal.

Try our nutritionist's favorite tip for making delicious chicken: Leave the skin and bones on the chicken while cooking, and remove them before eating. You'll get extra flavor and juiciness without adding saturated fat or cholesterol.

Recipes for dietary breasts for athletes

So, are you ready to learn how to prepare athletes' chicken breasts for a dose of clean, flavorful protein? Try our simple recipes.

Fried breast in a frying pan

An extremely simple, tasty and healthy recipe. For a kilogram of fillet you will need:

3 eggs
Khmeli-Suneli seasonings
non-stick frying pan
parsley for beauty

Beat the eggs, add seasoning, dip the fillet into the frying pan. You need to fry without oil, literally 3 minutes.

Recipe for steamed breasts in a slow cooker

To prepare, simply wash and cut the breasts. Pour boiled water into the slow cooker and place the breast in it. Cook for 40 minutes. The protein is ready