Herbed Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken with Grilled Vegetables

A one pan meal, this is one recipe that every working mother would love to include in her repertoire. A complete meal in itself, this is not just a healthy option for those counting their calories, but is so delicious and attractive that it can be served for brunches or even for a light dinner.

Ingredients

Chicken breasts – 500 gm

Bell peppers – 1 pc each – red, yellow and green; cut into thick long strips

Broccoli – 1 medium sized pc; cut into florets

Onion – 1 large; cut into thick slices

Olive oil – 2-3 tsp

Salt and pepper – to taste

For the marinade

Lemon – 1 and ½ pcs; cored and juiced

Garlic – 8 cloves; crushed

Black pepper – ½ tsp; crushed

Mixed herbs – ½ tsp

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Paprika powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

For the garnish

Green olives – 8-10 pcs

Basil leaves – a few

Lemon slices – a few

Method

1. Wash the chicken breasts thoroughly and pat dry.
2. Slice through each piece and pound to flatten (this ensures the chicken cooks uniformly).
3. Mix together the lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, herbs, olive oil, paprika and salt and marinate the chicken breasts in this mixture.
4. Put in a zip lock bag and let it rest for 5-6 hours in a refrigerator.
5. Take out from the refrigerator and leave for 10 minutes.
6. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan, add the chicken breasts 2-3 pieces at a time along with some of the marinade mixture and grill on a high flame for one minute.
7. Lower the flame, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
8. Remove the lid, put on medium to high flame and cook till the marinade gets absorbed and the chicken is done.
9. Repeat with the rest of the pieces till all are done.
10. The chicken should be nicely browned to give it a roasted look and flavour. Remove and keep aside.
11. In the same pan, add the onions and cook for a minute.
12. Add the broccoli and cook for a minute.
13. Add the bell peppers and grill all the vegetables on high flame, till the edges are browned. Remove and keep aside.
14. When serving, heat the roasted chicken breasts on high flame, add the grilled vegetables and toss.
15. Serve on a flat dish and garnish with olives, basil leaves and lemon slices.

This dish comes together so quickly that you might find yourself wondering whether you missed a step or two! The combination of tender roasted chicken breasts with crunchy vegetables is an ideal dish for every health-conscious teenager who may be a fussy eater otherwise. Do share with us your experience when making this recipe in the comments section below.