21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (2024)

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21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (1)

I don’t know about you, but this winter weather we’ve been having on the east coast has me craving comfort food. Warm, hearty, stick to your bones kinda food.

That presents a calorie conundrum though, since I’m about to go on vacation in a couple of weeks! I can’t really afford to indulge in heavy dishes, and let’s be honest, most of the comfort foods we love tend to be on the heavy side. That’s why these lightened-up comfort food recipes are so wonderful, because they’re the best of both worlds. You can have your comfort food without worryingabout derailing your new year’s diet. We love how food bloggers have been so creative with findingways to reduce fat and calories, all-the-while still making delicious meals that satisfy our cravings. From a lighter pot pie, to the best baked “fried” chicken, these flavorful, guilt-free recipes are just the ticket to tide us over until spring comes.

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (2)

Skinny Mushroom Spinach Lasagna | Little Spice Jar

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (3)

Lighter Pot Pie | Swanky Recipes

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (4)

Beef Stroganoff | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (5)

Easier Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | Half Baked Harvest

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (6)

Lightened Up Cheesy Broccoli Potatoes | Sugar Dish Me

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (7)

Slow Cooker Turkey Taco Chili | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (8)

Healthy Stovetop Mac and Cheese | Skinny Mom

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (9)

Best Baked “Fried” Chicken | Carlsbad Cravings

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (10)

Lighter New England Clam Chowder | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (11)

Skinny Spaghetti and Meatballs | Pinch of Yum

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (12)

Skinny Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (13)

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Quinoa | Food Faith Fitness

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (14)

15-Minute Skinny Shrimp Scampi | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (15)

Lightened-Up General Tso’s Chicken | Table for Two

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (16)

Shepherd’s Pie with Whipped Sweet Potatoes | The Lemon Bowl

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (17)

Potato Soup | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (18)

Skinny Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Kale | iFOODreal

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (19)

Lighter Chili Mac | Taste and Tell

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (20)

Sesame Chicken with Quinoa | Gimme Some Oven

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (21)

Baked Chicken Parmesan | Skinny Taste

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (22)

Skinny Orange Chicken | Gimme Some Oven

posted on February 22, 2015 by Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven

Recipe Round-Ups

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Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven

Hayley Putnam lives to eat, and loves writing, particularly about food! She contributes to Foodie Crush, and also bakes and blogs for her own little nook of the food blogosphere,Tiptoes in the Kitchen.She lives in Greensboro, N.C., with her husband Jay and their four-legged furry daughter, Luma. You can also find Hayley on Pinterest and Instagram.

Leave a Reply

15 comments on “21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes”

  1. Madeline | My Fitter Life February 22, 2015 @ 5:59 am Reply

    Great post, very useful :)

  2. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl February 22, 2015 @ 9:16 am Reply

    I am literally meal planning right now and all I want is soup and HOT food to warm up!! Please send some of that Austin warmth up to Michigan!! xoxo

  3. Emily @ Life on Food February 22, 2015 @ 2:49 pm Reply

    Oh my this list is great. I love the chicken, broccoli, kale dish.

  4. Andrea February 22, 2015 @ 5:42 pm Reply

    Um that spaghetti and meatballs looks nuts! And that butter chicken. I love these posts on a Sunday! Helps me plan out my weeks meals.
    Thanks!

  5. Jen @ Carlsbad Cravings February 23, 2015 @ 12:34 am Reply

    Deliciously healthy compilation – everything looks SO good! Thanks also for including my Baked “Fried” Chicken!

  6. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness February 23, 2015 @ 6:30 am Reply

    I am seriously ALL about comfort food…but HEALTHY comfort food? Gimme that ALL!! Thank you so much for including my BBQ Chicken Quinoa! Pinned!

  7. Christina February 23, 2015 @ 9:00 am Reply

    Gotta try that pot pie! Everything looks so delicious!

  8. Angie February 23, 2015 @ 2:11 pm Reply

    I will be making so many of these, Pinned it! Delicious :)

  9. Ariana February 23, 2015 @ 2:14 pm Reply

    So many amazing options in this post! Saved it for future recipe funks…thanks for sharing!

    www.ohmyleopard.com

  10. Jenny Flake February 23, 2015 @ 3:13 pm Reply

    Thanks for sharing all your delicious ideas! I am all about comfort/healthy foods and these will certainly help with meal planning :D

  11. Annmarie February 23, 2015 @ 10:03 pm Reply

    My family LOVES your skinny orange chicken….we add broccoli and have subbed in pork for the chicken when there was no chicken in the house….SOOOOOOO GOOD any way we have tried it!! Thank you! Can’t wait to try more of these recipes!

  12. Joyce Mcquilken January 11, 2016 @ 4:49 pm Reply

    Where are the calories on your skinny comfort foods?

    • Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven January 11, 2016 @ 9:49 pm

      Hi Joyce! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!

  13. Nancy September 27, 2021 @ 5:24 pm Reply

    These all look great, but don’t you have the nutritional information posted anywhere? It would so helpful, as I am on Noom! Please post!!

  14. Layton Zhang September 23, 2022 @ 6:49 pm Reply

    This sounds utterly indecently good, I know what comfort I�m turning to next time I�m in need of a sweet treat!

21 Lightened-Up Comfort Food Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the top five comfort foods? ›

Become a Jetsetter
  • 1 Chicken and Waffles.
  • 2 Spaghetti and Meatballs.
  • 3 Chicken Fried Steak.
  • 4 Mac and Cheese.
  • 5 Hotdish.
  • 6 Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
  • 7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.
  • 8 Matzo Ball Soup.
Mar 1, 2020

What is the ultimate comfort food? ›

Truly comfort food at its finest, chicken pot pie represents the addictive marriage of a flaky, buttery crust with diced chicken, onions, carrots, and peas in a creamy sauce. While it's a dish that you can easily find pre-made in almost any grocery freezer aisle, we strongly believe that making your own is worth it.

What are some good light foods? ›

Pack the Pantry
  • Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.
  • Limit juice to 1 cup of 100% juice a day and eliminate sugary drinks.
  • Lean meats.
  • Whole grain breads, pastas and brown rice.
  • Skim milk.
  • Nuts.
  • Light or non-fat yogurt.

What is the number 1 most loved food? ›

popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a american dish. Find out more
  1. 1 Mashed potatoes86%
  2. 2 French Fries86%
  3. 3 Hamburgers85%
  4. 4 Cheeseburger83%
  5. 5 Grilled Cheese82%
  6. 6 Steak and Baked potato82%
  7. 7 Hash browns82%
  8. 8 Fried Chicken82%

What is the best comfort food of all time? ›

Our 20 all-time favorite comfort foods
  • 1 of 20. Chicken noodle soup. Joshua Resnick / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 2 of 20. Chicken pot pie. Charles Brutlag / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 3 of 20. Chicken tenders. ...
  • 4 of 20. Chili. ...
  • 5 of 20. Chocolate chip cookies. ...
  • 6 of 20. Cinnamon buns. ...
  • 7 of 20. Cornbread. ...
  • 8 of 20. Fries.
Mar 18, 2024

What is Southern comfort food? ›

What is Southern comfort food? my idea of Southern comfort foods: biscuits, cornbread, collards, ham, fried chicken, turkey and dressing, field peas and rice, fried green tomatoes, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, 16 layered chocolate (or caramel ) cake .

What is the lightest thing to eat for dinner? ›

Opt for foods rich in lean proteins, like grilled chicken or fish, paired with vegetables. Incorporate whole grains, such as quinoa or brown rice, for a balanced and light dinner. Avoid heavy sauces and opt for lighter dressings. Soups and salads can also be satisfying options.

What food is light but filling? ›

The healthiest lower energy-dense choices are foods that are high in protein but low in fat and calories, such as:
  • Beans, peas and lentils, which are also good sources of fiber.
  • Fish.
  • Lean meat and poultry.
  • Low-fat or fat-free dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese.
  • Egg whites.

What is the lightest food to eat at night? ›

Here are 14 excellent and healthy late-night snack ideas.
  1. Tart cherries. Consider adding tart cherries like Montmorency or their juice to your late-night snack options. ...
  2. Banana with almond butter. ...
  3. Kiwi. ...
  4. Protein smoothie. ...
  5. Goji berries. ...
  6. Crackers and cheese. ...
  7. Hot cereal. ...
  8. Trail mix.
Nov 30, 2022

What foods can I eat unlimited amounts of? ›

Let's take a look at some of these wonderful foods:
  • Celery. Celery is a vegetable that is made up of 95% water! ...
  • Broccoli. It is well known for the natural substance it contains – sulforaphane, which has an anti-cancerous effect. ...
  • Kale. ...
  • Cucumber. ...
  • Lettuce. ...
  • Cauliflower. ...
  • Blueberries. ...
  • Raspberries.

What is a good light dinner for an upset stomach? ›

Foods and drinks like bananas, white rice, toast, crackers, and broth are gentle on your digestive system and can help you recover from an upset stomach. It's best to avoid foods and drinks that are difficult to digest and may worsen GI symptoms.

What is an example of a light meal? ›

Here's what I consider to be light meals…a no frills salad meaning letruce, tomato, cucumber with a light vinaigrette dressing…. a scrambled egg with 1 piece of toast…a bowl of hot or cold cereal with milk and fruit…a cup of chicken soup with a few crackers,… yogurt with a piece of fruit…. shrimp co*cktail.

What are the 6 best foods? ›

Top 10 Foods for Health
  1. Water. Drink 8 to 12 cups of water daily.
  2. Dark green vegetables. Eat dark green vegetables at least three to four times a week. ...
  3. Whole grains. Eat whole grains sat least two or three times daily. ...
  4. Beans and lentils. Try to eat a bean-based meal at least once a week. ...
  5. Fish. ...
  6. Berries. ...
  7. Winter squash. ...
  8. Soy.

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