This is a simple recipe that takes only minutes to prepare. Just toss chicken breast and vegetables in olive oil and some herbs and bake them before serving. It’s a great weeknight recipe. You can pack the leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch on their own or with a bed of greens.
Variations and Tips
- Use any vegetables you like. It’s best to cut them in pieces of a similar size so they bake evenly
- If you are using frozen vegetables, add them to the baking pan about halfway through the cooking time so that they thaw and heat
- You can use ½ cup of light Italian dressing or balsamic vinaigrette instead of olive oil, vinegar, and spices
- For a very low-carb diet, you can eliminate the sweet potatoes or substitute cauliflower or eggplant
- Try eliminating the sweet potatoes and serving your chicken with ½ cup of cooked brown rice or whole-grain pasta. Another option is to make a sandwich on whole-grain bread
- This recipe also works for shrimp, fish, or lean ground turkey instead of chicken
- For additional flavor, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese or blue or feta cheese crumbles to the vegetables at the end of cooking
Recipe for Baked Chicken Breast and Vegetables
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cubed sweet potatoes or potatoes
- 4 cups of cut vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, carrots, broccoli, and/or green beans
- 12 to 16 ounces of skinless chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of Italian herbs
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
Instructions
- Place the chicken, sweet potatoes or potatoes, and vegetables on a sprayed baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, Italian herbs, and minced garlic.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Nutrition information per serving: calories: 350 kcal; total fat: 14 g; total carbohydrates: 35 g; sugar: 8 g; fiber: 6 g; protein: 25 g; sodium: 80 mg; cholesterol: 70 mg
Reviewed by Heather Tonkins, Lark Health Coach