Healthy Main Dishes

By Food & Wine
Updated May 08, 2017
Credit: KAREN MORDECHAI
From citrus-and-ginger roasted chicken to anise pork with figs and apples, these amazing recipes are healthy and hearty.
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Whole Fish Roasted with Potatoes and Thyme

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F&W's Kristin Donnelly loves cooking whole fish, which is insanely easy to prepare, delicious and cheaper than fillets.

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Ginger-Marinated Bulgogi-Style Chicken

Credit: © Kana Okada
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Bulgogi, the Korean classic, calls for slices of rich beef; this version uses thinly sliced chicken breast, which has barely any fat at all. The chicken is best served with rice and lettuce leaves for wrapping. Kimchi, a spicy, garlicky Korean pickle often made with cabbage, is especially delicious on the side and is loaded with beneficial bacteria known as probiotics.

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Pork Medallions with Curry-Honey Glaze

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Steamed basmati rice and sautéed chayote or cucumber slices make ideal accompaniments to this dish.

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Brazilian Black Rice

Credit: © John Kernick
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This dish from Uxua hotel chef Aladim Alves traces its roots to the 1970s, when the beaches of Trancoso, Brazil, were a favorite hippie destination. It combines richly flavored Bahian seafood with healthy whole-grain black rice.

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Mustard-and-Lemon-Glazed Pork with Roasted Vegetables

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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"I like that all of the ingredients in this dish get a chance to meet each other," says Alexandra Guarnaschelli. She roasts the carrots and shallots along with the mustard-coated pork loin; then she uses the drippings to make a sauce. "The idea is that you never throw flavor away," Guarnaschelli says. "In fact, you collect flavor. It's a good philosophy for healthy cooking."

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Lemongrass-Barbecued Pork with Rice-Vermicelli Salad

Credit: © Earl Carter
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Mai My Lin, one of the chefs Kiesel met at the Nha Trang night market, prepares an aromatic and pungent marinade for grilled pork with two quintessential Vietnamese ingredients—lemongrass and fish sauce. The real surprise here is Mai's zesty Carrot and Daikon Pickles, which are amazing with the smoky grilled meat.

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Pulled-Chicken Sandwiches

Credit: © Ngoc Minh Ngo
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Classic eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce has a vinegar—not a tomato—base. It's delicious tossed with pulled chicken instead of the usual pork, and served the traditional way: piled onto soft buns and smothered under cold, creamy coleslaw.

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Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki Shiitake

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Dr. Andrew Weil mixes sake with soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar to make an Asian-accented glaze for shiitake. Using the meaty-tasting mushrooms as a topping for salmon creates a dish loaded with heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and protein.

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Pork Tenderloin Braised with Elderflower and Fennel

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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"My mother and I go foraging for elderflowers for two days each May," says Trina Hahnemann. They pick enough flowers to make cordial to drink throughout the year and then use in dishes like this pork tenderloin quickly braised with fennel. Anyone not living near a Nordic meadow can substitute St-Germain elderflower cordial for the homemade kind.

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Spicy Snapper Sandwiches

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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This spicy sub goes well with a melony Sauvignon Blanc.

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Citrus-and-Ginger-Roasted Chicken

Credit: © Keller & Keller
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Roasting the chicken with the skin on (removing it after cooking) keeps the meat especially moist.

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Rare Roast Beef with Fresh Herbs and Basil Oil

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Adapted from a recipe in author Patricia Wells's latest cookbook, Salad as a Meal, this rosy roast beef with basil oil seems decadent but contains only two grams of saturated fat per serving.

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Chicken Salad with Cumin-Scented Carrot Raita

Credit: © Deirdre Rooney
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A supermarket rotisserie bird right off the spit is wonderful in this Middle Eastern—inspired warm chicken dish. It's a delicious and healthy alternative to a typical mayonnaise-based chicken salad, especially in a sandwich.

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Shrimp Boil with Three-Bean Salad

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This dish combines omega-3-rich shrimp and heart-healthy beans in a sweet and tangy Creole mustard dressing.

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Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Credit: © David Prince
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Nancy Oakes lost more than 20 pounds, in part by eating two to three appetizers instead of one large entrée. To satiate cravings, she picks foods high in heatlhy monosaturated fat, like avocados. Plus, she says, "I brush my teeth a lot because nothing tastes good afterward."

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Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Quinoa Pilaf and Dried Fruit

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Instead of calling for ordinary rice pilaf, this recipe pairs juicy pork chops and dried fruit with crunchy quinoa, a nutritional powerhouse that delivers both protein and carbs, as well as fiber, potassium and riboflavin.

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Curried Chicken on Pita

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F&W's Marcia Kiesel gives this quick weeknight chicken recipe a kick with curry powder and jalepeños. Serve with grilled pita, lettuce leaves, tomato wedges and cucumber slices.

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Anise Pork with Figs and Apples

Credit: Ashley Colbourne
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The sweet licorice flavor of aniseed or fennel seeds adds depth to pork. For the sauce, look for dried figs that are soft and moist. If they seem very dry, soften them in hot water before cutting.

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Poached Salmon with Cucumber Raita

Credit: KAREN MORDECHAI
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Gently simmering salmon in a flavorful white-wine broth is a classic cooking method that gives the fish a delicious flavor and a delicate texture. Serve this hot or at room temperature. Raita, the cooling condiment served in India, makes a superb sauce.

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