Lemon Chicken and Broccoli

Serves - 2

Recipe Level: Easy

This is a quick and easy weeknight recipe. Can be done start to finish (from frozen) in less than 30 minutes.

Frozen Chicken Breast Tenders - 4 tenders (two per person)
Olive Oil - 2 tsp.
Lemons - 2 Whole Lemons
Paprika - 1 tsp
Garlic Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt - tsp
Crushed Red Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
Broccoli  - one crown

Ok I know, I know, frozen chicken tenders aren’t the best option when it comes to chicken, however when it comes to convenience, they are hard to beat. I usually keep a package in the freezer for quick and easy weeknight meals. It is also worth noting that not all brands are created equal so if possible try to go with an organic or solution free option.

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add chicken tenders to baking dish. This recipe is for two but is very easy to make much more. I figure two tenders per person, if you have big eaters, you may want to figure for three. Spritz chicken with olive oil. I love my oil spritzer, it is an easy way to cut back on the amount of oil you use without having to use cooking spray with all the extra unwanted ingredients. Here are some great options if you don't have one.

3. Sprinkle garlic powder, paprika salt and pepper over the chicken. Don’t skip the paprika, it ads a nice golden color to the finished product and imparts a very subtle smokey flavor that pairs well with the lemon.

4. Slice one of the lemons very thinly. You will want at least 8 slices, two per chicken tender and the thinner they are, the more concentrated and yummy the flavor will become. The lemon also helps to keep the chicken moist which can be hard to do when working with boneless skinless white meat because it is so lean.

5. Cover each tender with two lemon slices then  place in the oven and set timer for 20 minutes.

6. While the chicken is baking, cut up broccoli. I usually buy the broccoli crowns which are slightly more expensive per pound, but usually don’t have much use for the stems unless I plan on making broccoli slaw. (The stems are great for this, you can grate in a food processor or on a box grater but that’s another recipe) I usually cut the broccoli into pretty small florets so that it cooks up quickly but it is all about your personal taste.

7. Add the broccoli florets to a separate baking dish and coat with olive oil (I used about 3-4 spritzes, we are trying to keep this light).

8. Zest the second lemon with a microplane (this is much easier than traditional grater). Here are some great options. Add half of the zest from the lemon to the broccoli (set aside the other zest and lemon for later) Add the chopped garlic (you can use fresh chopped or jarred pre-chopped depending on how pressed for time you are) salt and pepper and crushed red pepper for a little extra spice. If you are cooking for kids, you may want to leave this part out though.

9. Mix everything together with tongs or don’t be afraid to use your hands as long as they are clean. At this point there should be about 10 minutes left on the timer, so go ahead and place the broccoli in the oven and cook for the remaining 10 minutes.

10. When the timer sounds, turn the oven on broil and make sure both dishes are on the top shelf of your oven. Broiling will ensure the lemons get nice and carmelized and the broccoli has that lovely roasted quality. This will take about 3-5 minutes, but really depends on your oven, so don’t go anywhere during this process.

11. Remove the chicken and broccoli from the oven. Cut the remaining lemon (the one you already zested) in half and squeeze over the broccoli, add the remaining lemon zest and toss to coat the broccoli. (I use the whole lemon because love lemon, but you may want to cut back to half of the lemon if you don’t want it too tart.) If you want to extra texture of flavor, you could add in some slivered almonds or crumbled feta.

If you want to serve with a starch you could cook up some quick cooking brown rice, polenta or quinoa while the chicken and broccoli are roasting in the oven. I had some left-over quinoa tabouleh salad I served along with mine. You can check out that recipe here.

Nutrition Information per serving from Myfitnesspal.com
Lemon Chicken - 209 calories, 8.2g. fat, 1.3g. carbs, 34.6g. protein
Broccoli - 64 calories, 4.7g fat, 6g. carbs, 1.5g protein