One of the biggest challenges on the HCG diet’s Phase 2 isn’t hunger — it’s boredom. The same grilled chicken and spinach every day gets old fast. The good news: with a bit of creativity, the approved food list is more versatile than it looks, and all of these recipes use ingredients you can find at Countdown, New World, or Pak’nSave.
All recipes below are Phase 2 compliant: 100g protein, approved vegetables, and no oils, fats, or sugar. Each serves one person.
5 Chicken Recipes
1. Lemon Herb Chicken with Asparagus
Ingredients: 100g chicken breast, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme, 1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary, salt and pepper, 1 cup asparagus spears.
Method: Marinate chicken in lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes. Grill or bake at 190°C for 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Steam asparagus for 4–5 minutes. Serve together with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Why it works: Lemon juice adds brightness without calories, and thyme and rosemary give the chicken real depth of flavour. Asparagus is one of the most Phase 2-friendly vegetables — low calorie, high in folate.
2. Asian-Style Ginger Chicken with Spinach
Ingredients: 100g chicken breast thinly sliced, 1 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 clove garlic (minced), 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp chicken stock (no fat), salt and white pepper, 2 cups baby spinach.
Method: Combine ginger, garlic, vinegar, and stock in a pan over medium heat. Add chicken slices and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until cooked. Wilt spinach in the same pan for the last minute. Season and serve.
Tip: Fresh ginger from the produce section at Countdown is inexpensive. Freeze leftover ginger in a zip-lock bag and grate from frozen.
3. Garlic Tomato Chicken
Ingredients: 100g chicken breast, 2 medium tomatoes (diced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried, salt and pepper, splash of water or stock.
Method: In a non-stick pan, cook garlic in a splash of water for 1 minute. Add chicken and sear both sides. Add diced tomatoes and basil, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. The tomatoes break down into a rich sauce. Season well and serve.
Why it works: Cooking the chicken in the tomato sauce makes it incredibly juicy — this is one of the most popular HCG diet recipes for a reason.
4. Mexican-Spiced Chicken with Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients: 100g chicken breast, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp chili flakes, salt, lemon juice. Slaw: 1 cup shredded cabbage, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt, fresh coriander.
Method: Rub chicken with spices and lemon juice. Grill or bake until cooked. Mix shredded cabbage with vinegar, salt, and coriander. Slice chicken and serve over the slaw. Top with more lemon juice if desired.
NZ shopping note: Smoked paprika is at any NZ supermarket — check the spice aisle. Coriander is in the fresh herbs section or sold as a potted herb.
5. Simple Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Salad
Ingredients: 100g chicken breast, salt, pepper, lemon zest. Salad: 1 Lebanese cucumber sliced, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, fresh mint, salt.
Method: Season chicken with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Grill for 5–6 minutes each side. Mix cucumber with vinegar, mint, and salt. Serve together — fast, clean, and satisfying.
3 Fish Recipes
6. Baked Hoki with Lemon and Dill
Ingredients: 100g hoki fillet (fresh or frozen from Countdown/New World), juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp dried dill, salt and pepper. Serve with: 1 cup steamed spinach or green beans.
Method: Place hoki in a baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with dill, salt, and pepper. Bake at 180°C for 12–15 minutes until fish flakes easily. Serve with steamed greens.
Why hoki: Hoki is a NZ-caught, sustainable, low-fat white fish that’s widely available and affordable. It’s perfect for Phase 2 — mild flavour, high protein, zero fat.
7. Asian Ginger Snapper
Ingredients: 100g snapper fillet, 1 tsp fresh ginger grated, 1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (very small amount), 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup bok choy.
Method: Mix ginger, garlic, soy, and lemon juice. Pour over snapper in a baking dish. Bake at 190°C for 12–14 minutes. Steam bok choy for 3 minutes. Serve together.
Note: Use soy sauce very sparingly — it is technically permitted in small amounts as a flavouring but should not be over-used. Check it contains no added sugar.
8. Prawn and Tomato Broth
Ingredients: 100g raw prawns (peeled), 2 tomatoes diced, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 cup vegetable stock (fat-free), fresh basil, chilli flakes, salt.
Method: In a pot, combine stock, garlic, tomatoes, and chilli. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes until pink. Finish with fresh basil. Serve as a light broth soup.
NZ shopping note: Raw peeled prawns are in the seafood section at most Countdown and New World stores, or in the freezer section. Check that there are no added glazes or oils.
2 Vegetarian Options
9. Cottage Cheese Bowl with Cucumber and Tomato
Ingredients: 100g low-fat cottage cheese, 1 Lebanese cucumber diced, 1 tomato diced, fresh mint or basil, salt and pepper, lemon juice.
Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve cold.
Important: Use low-fat (not full-fat) cottage cheese — full-fat versions contain too much fat for Phase 2. Check the label: it should be under 4g fat per 100g. Anchor or Mainland low-fat cottage cheese available at Countdown works well.
10. Egg White Omelette with Spinach and Tomato
Ingredients: 3–4 egg whites (from approximately 100g liquid egg whites), 1 cup fresh spinach, 1 tomato diced, salt, pepper, fresh chives, pinch of paprika.
Method: Whisk egg whites with salt and pepper until slightly frothy. Cook in a non-stick pan (no oil needed) over medium heat. When just set, add spinach and tomato to one half. Fold over and serve. Top with chives and paprika.
Tip: Liquid egg whites in a carton (Pams brand at Pak’nSave, or Fresh’n Fruity at Countdown) make this much easier than separating eggs manually.
Flavour Tips for Phase 2
The key to staying satisfied on Phase 2 is maximising flavour within the rules. Stock your Phase 2 pantry with: apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, fresh and dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, dill, mint, coriander), garlic and ginger, chilli flakes, cumin, paprika, salt, white pepper, vegetable and chicken stock (fat-free, low-sodium), and Stevia or Natvia for sweetening drinks or the occasional allowed treat.
For the full approved food list — including exactly what’s allowed and what to avoid — read our HCG diet food list NZ guide.
Once you finish Phase 2, the next challenge is keeping the weight off. Our HCG Diet Phase 3 NZ guide covers the maintenance phase step by step. If you hit a stall mid-programme, read our tips on breaking an HCG diet plateau.
Ready to start? Browse HC-SLIM kits at rosecook.co.nz — all kits include the complete food protocol. Fast NZ delivery, typically 2–4 business days.
