Healthy chicken mince recipes: 5 high-protein, low-kJ meals

The healthiest chicken mince recipes pair lean mince with plenty of vegetables, a modest serve of high-fibre carbohydrate and not much sauce. The five recipes below give 29 to 41 g of protein for 790 to 1,980 kJ (190 to 470 Calories) a serve. Raw chicken mince has 21.4 g of protein and 404 kJ per 100 g.

Those figures come from the Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD) entry for raw chicken mince, which is lean. Supermarket mince made with thigh meat or skin has more fat, so check the nutrition panel on your pack. Here is how the five recipes compare.

Is chicken mince healthy?

Yes. Lean chicken mince gives a lot of protein for very few kilojoules, and it carries very little saturated fat. In the AFCD, 100 g of raw chicken mince has 1.1 g of fat. Regular beef mince has 8.9 g and lower fat beef mince has 4.1 g.

Beef still has its place, since red meat brings more iron and zinc. We compare the two in chicken or beef mince: which is healthier. Chicken mince earns its spot because it is cheap protein that takes on any flavour, cooks in ten minutes and freezes well.

Protein matters more than most people think, and plenty of everyday meals run short on it.

“It's not uncommon to consume a meal with very little protein, think gnocchi Napoli, jam on toast or a baked potato with salad.”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director

Each recipe below gives roughly 30 to 40 g of protein a serve. That is a solid dinner for most adults, and it helps keep you full into the evening. For more options, see our list of high-protein foods in Australia.

5 healthy chicken mince recipes

Each recipe uses one 500 g pack of chicken mince and serves 4. Australian spoon sizes apply: 1 tablespoon is 20 ml.

1. San choy bow lettuce cups (lowest kJ)

Per serve: 793 kJ (190 Calories), 29 g protein, 7 g carbs, 3 g fibre. The sauces bring about 730 mg of sodium a serve, so use reduced-salt soy sauce.

• 500 g chicken mince
• 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 red capsicum (150 g), finely diced, and 1 carrot (120 g), grated
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) reduced-salt soy sauce and 1 tbsp (20 ml) oyster sauce
• Leaves from 1 iceberg lettuce, plus coriander and lime to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add the mince and break it up as it browns, about 6 minutes, until no pink remains.
3. Add the capsicum, carrot and spring onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir through the sauces.
4. Spoon into lettuce cups and top with coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Hungrier? Add half a cup of cooked brown rice per person. It adds about 650 kJ.

2. Chicken taco bowls (best for meal prep)

Per serve: 1,504 kJ (359 Calories), 36 g protein, 23 g carbs, 11 g fibre.

• 500 g chicken mince and 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced, and 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano
• 400 g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ red cabbage (300 g), shredded, and 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen corn kernels
• 1 avocado, 80 g natural yoghurt, coriander and lime

1. Cook the onion in the oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add the mince, break it up and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the beans and corn with a splash of water and heat through.
3. Pack into 4 containers with cabbage and tomato on the side. Add avocado, yoghurt and lime on the day you eat it.

3. Lemon, sage and zucchini chicken patties

Per serve (3 patties with sweet potato wedges, salad and yoghurt): 1,620 kJ (387 Calories), 36 g protein, 29 g carbs, 7 g fibre.

• 500 g chicken mince
• 1 zucchini (200 g), grated and squeezed dry
• ½ cup (45 g) rolled oats and 1 egg
• 2 garlic cloves, zest of 1 lemon, 6 sage leaves and a handful of parsley, all finely chopped
• 1 tbsp (20 ml) olive oil for brushing
• To serve: 500 g sweet potato cut into wedges and tossed in 2 tsp oil, rocket, 2 tomatoes, 1 Lebanese cucumber and 200 g natural yoghurt with lemon juice

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roast the sweet potato for 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Mix the mince, zucchini, oats, egg, garlic, zest and herbs. Shape into 12 patties.
3. Brush with oil and bake on a lined tray for 18 to 20 minutes, until they reach 75°C in the centre.
4. Serve with the wedges, salad and lemon yoghurt.

4. Chicken, basil and green bean stir-fry with brown rice

Per serve: 1,711 kJ (409 Calories), 35 g protein, 47 g carbs, 6 g fibre.

• 500 g chicken mince and 1 tbsp (20 ml) olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves and 1 long red chilli, sliced
• 1 brown onion, 1 red capsicum and 250 g green beans, all sliced
• 1 tbsp (20 ml) fish sauce and 1 tbsp (20 ml) reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 cup Thai or sweet basil leaves
• 2½ cups (about 480 g) cooked brown rice

1. Stir-fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the oil over high heat for 2 minutes.
2. Add the mince and cook for 6 minutes, breaking it up. Add the beans and capsicum and cook for 3 minutes more.
3. Add the fish sauce and soy sauce, toss through the basil and serve over the rice.

5. Chicken and lentil bolognese (highest fibre)

Per serve: 1,976 kJ (472 Calories), 41 g protein, 52 g carbs, 12 g fibre.

• 500 g chicken mince and 1 tbsp (20 ml) olive oil
• 1 brown onion, 1 carrot and 1 zucchini, finely diced or grated
• 2 garlic cloves and 2 tsp dried oregano
• 400 g can no-added-salt tomatoes
• 400 g can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
• 240 g dried wholemeal spaghetti

1. Cook the onion, carrot and zucchini in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano.
2. Add the mince and brown it, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and lentils, then simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Cook the pasta to the packet time and serve with the sauce.

The lentils stretch the meat and double the fibre. Freeze leftover sauce in single portions for up to 3 months.

Does chicken mince keep blood sugar steady?

Chicken mince on its own has no carbohydrate, so by itself it barely moves glucose. What you eat with it decides the rise. Our member data shows that clearly.

We looked at 298 Vively members who wore a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and logged meals that included chicken mince. Their typical rise after those meals was 1.2 mmol/L. After their other meals it was 1.1 mmol/L. In other words, the same people did about as well with chicken mince dinners as with everything else they ate.

The spread is the useful part. A quarter of members rose 2.0 mmol/L or more after chicken mince meals. Chicken mince has no carbohydrate, so that rise comes from what was served with it: rice, noodles, wraps, bread or sweet sauces.

Adding protein to a carbohydrate meal helps a little, but less than you might expect. In our members, eating rice, pasta, sweet potato or sourdough with protein, fat or vegetables lowered the typical rise by 0.3 mmol/L at most compared with eating that food alone.

So the practical rules for a steadier chicken mince dinner are simple:

• Keep the carb serve modest. Half to three quarters of a cup of cooked rice or pasta per person, not a heaped bowl.
• Choose higher-fibre carbs. Brown rice, wholemeal pasta, lentils and beans. You can see how members respond to brown rice, pasta and sweet potato on our food pages.
• Watch the sauce. Sweet chilli, teriyaki and plum sauces add sugar fast. Soy, fish sauce, lime, garlic and herbs add flavour without much.
• Fill half the plate with vegetables. They add bulk and fibre for very few kilojoules.

Responses vary a lot from person to person. Our glucose spikes guide explains why, and turkey works the same way if you want to rotate: try our turkey mince recipes.

Chicken mince for weight loss

Chicken mince recipes suit weight loss because they are high in protein and low in energy for the volume you eat. A protein-rich dinner tends to hold you until breakfast, and lean mince gives you plenty of protein for very little fat.

The san choy bow and taco bowls are the lowest-kilojoule options here. For a steady loss, most people do better with meals they will happily repeat than with very low-kilojoule meals they abandon by Thursday. Sleep, stress and movement change appetite and glucose too.

“The health system doesn't focus on health. Lifestyle is the root cause of health. Most chronic diseases are lifestyle driven.”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director

If weight has crept up despite eating well, it can be worth checking what is happening underneath. Fasting insulin often rises years before glucose does, and a fasting insulin test shows it.

How to cook and store chicken mince safely

Cook chicken mince until it reaches 75°C in the centre, which is the Food Safety Information Council's guide for mince. Cook it right through, with no pink left.

How Vively can help

Recipes are a starting point; your own data shows what works for you. The Vively CGM program pairs a sensor with the app, so you can see your glucose after meals like these and get dietitian support through the membership. If you would rather start with a blood test, the Baseline Health Check measures 70+ markers, including fasting insulin, HbA1c and cholesterol, read against optimal ranges, and a practitioner explains your results.

Learn more about how a continuous glucose monitor works.

Frequently asked questions

Is chicken mince good for weight loss?

Yes, it can be. Lean chicken mince has 21.4 g of protein and 404 kJ per 100 g raw, so it gives a lot of protein for the energy. Weight loss still depends on the whole meal and your week. Pair it with vegetables and a modest serve of high-fibre carbs, and go easy on creamy or sugary sauces.

How many calories are in 500 g of chicken mince?

About 2,020 kJ, or roughly 480 Calories, for 500 g of raw lean chicken mince, based on the AFCD figure of 404 kJ per 100 g. It also gives about 107 g of protein. Mince with thigh meat or skin has more fat and more kilojoules, so check the nutrition panel on your pack.

Is chicken mince healthier than beef mince?

It is lower in fat and kilojoules. In the AFCD, raw chicken mince has 1.1 g of fat per 100 g, against 8.9 g for regular beef mince and 4.1 g for lower fat beef mince. Beef has more iron and zinc. Both fit a healthy diet; choose lean versions of either.

How long does cooked chicken mince last in the fridge?

Two to three days. The Food Safety Information Council says leftovers generally stay safe for that long in a fridge at 5°C or below. Refrigerate cooked mince within 2 hours of cooking, and freeze portions you will not eat in time. Reheat until steaming hot right through.

What temperature should chicken mince be cooked to?

75°C in the centre. That is the Food Safety Information Council's guide for minced meat, and a cheap meat thermometer is the easiest way to check. Without one, cook until no pink remains and the juices run clear. Patties and meatballs need checking in the thickest part.

Sources

1. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3 (nutrient profiles).
2. Food Safety Information Council. Do you pass the food safety test? (answers).
3. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines: serve sizes.
4. National Health and Medical Research Council. Discretionary food and drink choices.