The carnivore diet, rooted in the belief that our ancestors thrived on a diet composed primarily of meat and animal products, has gained popularity as an extreme form of an elimination diet. Of all the carnivore diet foods you can formulate your diet from, many believe that chicken is the best meat for carnivore diet. This article delves into the benefits of incorporating chicken, particularly chicken thighs, into the carnivore diet, provides practical tips and recipes, and addresses some of the controversies surrounding this restrictive dietary approach.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is an extreme dietary approach that restricts food intake to animal products only. On the carnivore diet, you cut carbohydrates and eat nothing but meat and other animal products, like beef, chicken, pork, fish, and eggs. The idea is that by cutting all carbs, your body will burn fat for energy and you’ll lose weight. The difference is that the keto and Atkins diets only limit carbs. The carnivore diet cuts out all carbohydrates and other food groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes.
Chicken: An Essential Staple on the Carnivore Diet
Chicken is a powerhouse of essential nutrients, most notably, protein. This protein content also helps you feel more full to avoid overeating. Beyond protein, you’re getting a lower-calorie option that has almost no fat depending on the cut you select. Plus, chicken provides essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins (especially B6 and B12), phosphorus, and selenium. Those new to the carnivore diet can rely on chicken as a gentle introduction to the increased protein intake, preventing digestive discomfort that can sometimes occur with heavier meats. There are so many more reasons to make chicken recipes for carnivore diet a staple in your dietary regimen - like its affordability.
Why Chicken Thighs?
Dark meat options like thighs, drumsticks, and wings are often preferred on the carnivore diet due to their higher fat content. Chicken thighs, in particular, offer a good balance of protein and fat, making them a satiating and energy-dense option for those following this diet. However, leaner cuts like chicken breasts can also be used, particularly for those looking to vary their macronutrient intake.
Benefits of Incorporating Chicken into the Carnivore Diet
Fans of the carnivore diet say it has a range of benefits, from weight loss to higher testosterone levels, but there is no evidence for this. That said, here are some of the anecdotally reported pros and scientifically backed cons of the carnivore diet.
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The carnivore diet has also gained some attention for its potential as an anti-inflammatory diet that may benefit people with autoimmune conditions. These claims were fueled by press coverage of the lifestyle guru Jordan Peterson and his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson, who have both publicly stated that a diet of beef, salt, and water relieved them of ailments that include rheumatoid arthritis, depression, anxiety, gastric reflux, and psoriasis.
Again, no scientific evidence supports those claims, and anti-inflammatory diets traditionally tend to be plant-based, research shows. The carnivore diet can be seen as an extreme form of an elimination diet, Schmidt says. Because people following this fad eat only a few different foods, they eliminate many of the items that commonly cause food sensitivities, like nuts, wheat, and soybeans. The carnivore diet is also popular with people who think it will result in weight loss, despite a lack of research to back it up.
Nutrient Density
Chicken is packed with essential nutrients that are crucial for overall health.
Versatility
Whether you prefer grilling, roasting, slow-cooking, or frying, chicken adapts well to a variety of cooking methods. From crispy grilled drumsticks to succulent slow-cooked chicken thighs, the possibilities are endless.
Affordability
Compared to other animal products like beef and seafood, chicken is often a more budget-friendly option, making it accessible to a wider range of individuals.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet's Impact on Sleep
Tips for Cooking Chicken on the Carnivore Diet
Looking for a simple solution for creating delightfully crispy carnivore diet chicken recipes? Use an air fryer! You don’t just want your chicken crispy on the outside, you want it juicy and tender on the inside. We suggest brining the chicken in a simple saltwater solution for a few hours before cooking. Cooking time and temperature matter, too. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove it from the heat as soon as it hits this temperature.
Seasoning
The most common and essential seasoning on the carnivore diet is salt. Salt not only enhances flavor but also draws moisture out of the skin for that satisfying crisp. Similarly, cooking with animal fats like butter, ghee, or tallow adds richness and helps achieve that golden, crispy skin. Heat plays a part here, too. Whether you’re roasting, grilling, or pan-searing, finish with high heat to create a crispy exterior. For roasting, set the oven temperature to 425°F or higher.
Cooking Methods
Roasting a whole chicken is a simple and delicious way to enjoy a nutrient-packed meal that fits perfectly into the carnivore diet. Grilling adds a smoky flavor that enhances the natural taste of chicken. Slow-cooking and braising chicken in bone broth results in incredibly tender meat that is easy to digest and full of flavor.
Carnivore Diet Chicken Recipes
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Salt
- Animal fat (butter, ghee, or tallow)
Instructions:
- Brine the chicken thighs in a saltwater solution for a few hours.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the skin is crispy.
Slow-Cooked Chicken Thighs in Bone Broth
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Bone broth
- Salt
Instructions:
- Season the chicken thighs with salt.
- Place the chicken thighs in a slow cooker.
- Pour bone broth over the chicken until it is partially submerged.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily pulls apart.
Addressing the Downsides of the Carnivore Diet
“There are a lot of downsides to the carnivore diet,” says Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “We have multiple food groups for a reason: They each provide us with a range of nutrients.” Humans are omnivores, which means we derive nutrients from a variety of foods, both animal- and plant-based. Eating only one food group is a problem, no matter which one (even if it’s just vegetables). Limiting yourself to all meat can cause you to run low in certain nutrients that are abundant in plants, like vitamin C and vitamin E, Weinandy says.
Potential Risks
- Nutrient Deficiencies: Cutting out entire food groups could leave you short on the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
- Constipation: Although some anecdotal reports suggest that constipation isn’t a problem on a carnivore diet, you will be missing out on fiber, a nutrient important for colonic health, says Weinandy.
- Gastric Cancer: A diet high in red and processed meats has been linked to an increased risk of gastric cancer.
- Eating Disorders: Extreme restriction or labeling foods “good” or “bad” can also set off disordered-eating behaviors or full-blown eating disorders, Weinandy says.
- Saturated Fats: Many experts are worried about the risks of saturated fat from meats like fatty steaks and bacon, which is also one of the main concerns with a keto diet. While the risks of dietary saturated fat are being debated, an analysis that looked at more than 100 studies recommended that people replace sources of saturated fat with unsaturated fats in order to lower their risk of heart disease.
- Kidney Health: Large amounts of meat protein can also put undue stress on kidneys. Metabolizing high amounts of protein is the cause of this. You’ll likely miss out on disease-fighting nutrients like fiber and antioxidants like vitamins C and E, says Weinandy.
Mitigation Strategies
- Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Animal Products: Given the exclusionary nature of the carnivore diet you need to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients through variety - don’t forget the organ meats!
- Consider Supplementation: If you’re healthy, it’s probably OK to try this diet, as long as you don’t stay on it for more than a week to 10 days. Take vitamin, mineral, and fiber supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps created from the food groups you aren't eating on the diet.
Carnivore Diet Snacks
Many who are just starting the carnivore diet mention that the hardest part is managing cravings between meals. As it turns out, you have a delicious, nutritious, carnivore-approved snack at your disposal here at Carnivore Snax in our carnivore chips collection. Our chicken chips are carefully crafted to deliver tantalizing flavors with a satisfying, airy crunch that then melts in your mouth. But, we don’t just have carnivore diet chicken recipes to round out your snack arsenal.
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Other Carnivore Diet Snack Options:
- Cheese sticks
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Salmon jerky
- Sardines
- Skinless chicken wings
Sample Carnivore Diet Menu
A typical carnivore diet menu might look like this:
- Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
- Lunch: Burger patties
- Dinner: Salmon
Here are a few recipes based on the carnivore diet:
- Scrambled eggs with turkey. Cut 1/2 pound turkey breast into small pieces. Cook in a skillet until browned. Whisk three large eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Move the turkey to one side of the skillet and pour the eggs onto the other side. Scramble the eggs and mix them with the turkey until the mixture is cooked through.
- Salmon patties. Cook three slices of turkey bacon and crumble. Mix bacon, two cans of salmon, 1 teaspoon of salt, and two whisked eggs in a bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dill. Form into burger-sized patties. Cook in butter until browned.
- Carnivore chicken casserole. Put 1 pound of cubed rotisserie chicken into a food processor and process until chopped very fine. Add 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Process until fully combined. Add 1 tablespoon of taco or Cajun seasoning and mix again. Put the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes
Is the Carnivore Diet Right for You?
Claims of the carnivore diet are not backed by WebMD. Talk to your doctor before starting any new diet, especially one that cuts out entire food groups. It could leave you low in certain nutrients.
It’s important to keep your lifestyle and tastes in mind when you choose a diet.
Who Should Avoid the Carnivore Diet?
This diet isn’t safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because it will leave you short on the nutrients that both you and your growing baby need. If you have kidney disease, the high protein content may be too much for your kidneys to process, Zelman says. Also avoid this diet if you have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure because of the high saturated fat and sodium content. Fad diets are never a good idea for people who have had eating disorders. Such a restrictive diet could trigger unhealthy eating patterns, Zelman says.