If you’re on a weight loss journey, the way you cook your chicken could be sabotaging your efforts.
It’s common knowledge among dieticians that swapping fatty red meats for leaner white meats like chicken and turkey can aid in weight loss. These meats are low in calories but high in protein, allowing you to feel satiated without compromising your daily protein intake. Chicken is also a versatile option that can be cooked in numerous ways, whether it’s marinated in teriyaki sauce for a stir fry or spiced up for a Mexican fajita dinner.
However, a weight loss coach has warned against a common cooking mistake many of us make. In a TikTok video, Carly Stuart explained that while chicken can be part of a healthy diet, it should be prepared in ways that avoid soaking it in oil or using excessive breadcrumbs.
She said: “Your white meats are going to be less in calories. This [chicken] is about 410 calories for 78g of protein – an absolute banger, in my opinion, whether you’re trying to lose weight or not. But here’s where it turns to s**t: when you guys start deep frying it in this type of garbage [oil] and crumbing it in a load of Panko crumbs or cornflakes.”
The health guru then showcased an alternative method for creating succulent breaded chicken strips that skips the deep-frying and excess calories. She recommended people “ditch the flour” used in traditional breadcrumb preparations as it just piles on “unnecessary calories”, and instead opted for a simple egg-and-milk mix to bind the breadcrumbs to the meat.
She dipped the poultry pieces into the concoction before gently rolling them in a bowl of breadcrumbs, ensuring a “light breadcrumb” coat rather than over-crumbing. Completing the prep with a “light spray” of oil, Carly proceeded to cook the chicken in her air fryer, triumphantly presenting the results saying: “Golden and crispy, you wouldn’t know any different.”
The comment section on Carly’s video was filled with testimonies and applause, as many had tested out the recipe and vouched for its taste and simplicity. One viewer commented: “I cooked little nuggets this way last week. Delicious! ” Meanwhile, another said: “Love this! Great ideas while you make me laugh.”