While Melissa Cohen, Head of Nutrition at Vitabiotics, says the chicken provides protein to the recipe she believes adding more vegetables such as spinach can make it even more nutritious.
Melissa explains, “One of the easiest ways to add more vegetables to Marry Me Chicken is by stirring a generous handful of spinach into the sauce just before serving. It wilts in seconds, blends into the creamy sauce and doesn’t overpower the flavour, making it one of the simplest upgrades you can make.
Spinach is a great ingredient to keep in the fridge because it is incredibly versatile and an easy way to increase your vegetable intake. It also contains nutrients such as iron, vitamin K and folate, making it an easy way to add variety and vegetables to a meal. Iron is an important mineral as it contributes to normal energy metabolism, the normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin, and the normal function of the immune system.“
Melissa also points out, “Sun-dried tomatoes also contain vitamin C. Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so pairing ingredients containing vitamin C with sources of iron can be a simple way to add variety to a meal.“
Image TikTok (Creator)
Image TikTok(Creator)
Choose wholewheat pasta
“Wholewheat pasta naturally contains more fibre than refined pasta. One 180g serving of cooked wholegrain pasta provides 8.8g of fibre, making this a simple way to increase the fibre content of the dish.”
Add mushrooms for bulk
“Mushrooms pair well with the creamy sauce while increasing the vegetable content of the dish. They’re a quick and easy way to add extra volume and variety to your meal, helping you include more vegetables without altering the recipe.”
Serve with an extra side of greens
“Broccoli, green beans or peas all pair well with Marry Me Chicken and are a simple way to add colour, variety and extra vitamins and minerals to the plate.”
Lighten the sauce
“Greek yoghurt can be used as an alternative to some of the cream and generally contains more protein than regular yoghurt. Because it is strained, the protein is more concentrated than in regular yoghurt, making this a simple way to increase the amount of protein in the sauce. For example, one cup (245g) of plain regular yoghurt contains around 8–10g of protein, while the same amount of plain Greek yoghurt provides around 18–23g of protein.
“Replacing part or all of the cream with Greek yoghurt, lowers the total fat and increases the protein content of the meal and the sauce, while maintaining the creamy texture that makes the dish so popular. Just before eating throw over a handful of mixed seeds for a boost of extra protein and crunch.”
Image TikTok ( Creator)
Melissa concludes, “TikTok is brilliant for inspiring people to try out new dishes, and making your own healthier version. Adding a few small changes such as wilted spinach and throwing in some seeds will increase the nutritional value as well as the taste.”
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