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.

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 foods are considered comfort foods? ›

Fast food like burgers, French fries, and pizza. Homemade meals that your family makes like casseroles, fried chicken and biscuits, pasta, pot pie, and soothing soups and chowders like beef stew, matzo ball soup, and chicken soup. Snacks like chips, pretzels, popcorn, nachos, and munchies that curb snack attacks.

What's your Goto comfort food answer? ›

Here are some classic comfort foods that people often turn to: Macaroni and Cheese:Creamy, cheesy pasta is a classic comfort dish that appeals to both kids and adults. Chicken Noodle Soup:A warm bowl of chicken noodle soup is often considered soothing and is a go-to remedy when feeling under the weather.

What makes a dish comfort food? ›

Not the kind you mix from a box but the slow-stirring, melty goodness that reminds you of family dinnertime. That's comfort food. Common types of comfort foods that come to mind include heavy casseroles, stews and breads that tend to be high in both taste and calorie count.

What are comfort foods for loss? ›

There is a reason why friends, family, and neighbors gravitate toward carb-heavy meals like lasagna, mac n' cheese, pulled pork, and various casseroles for grieving families: they're comforting. Most people are familiar with these dishes, and it reminds them of happier times.

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