A delicious lemon pepper chicken dish paired with a side of nutrient dense veggies. So easy. So simple. So flavorful. Save this one for your next meal and thank me later.
Went to the grocery store not knowing what I wanted at all for dinner and stumbled across some lemon pepper seasoning. And then it hit me. I was looking to make a protein with a side of some veggies, and so I came up with this lemon pepper chicken and paired it with spaghetti squash and pan-roasted burnt broccoli. I've realized sometimes the most spontaneous creations end up being the best ones!
I promise you this chicken dish is super flavorful and the lemon, pepper, and olive oil really complement each other here. Here's proof that "healthy" does not have to be boring! For so long, I thought I just had to eat plain chicken and veggies to be healthy. But after getting rid of that mentality, I've learned to have so much fun with food and experiment with different flavors in the kitchen. This one is going to be a staple from here on.
Ingredients:
chicken breast
spaghetti squash
baby broccoli
lemon pepper seasoning
salt and pepper
olive oil (feel free to also use butter for cooking the chicken)
lemon
optional: garlic/garlic powder & any other seasonings you would like
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut your spaghetti squashing half and scoop out all of the seeds and the really stringy part/flesh of the squash.
Drizzle on some olive oil, salt and pepper. Poke a few holes in the skin of the squash with a fork.
Cook the squash for 40 minutes in the oven. After it is done cooking and cool enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash. Season with more olive oil if desired and whatever seasonings you would like.
On to the pan-roasted broccoli. Heat up about a tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Add in your baby broccoli and don't toss for a few minutes to allow some of the broccoli to brown. Toss it around to cook evenly until the broccoli florets are crispy and brown. Season with salt and pepper, and feel free to add garlic/garlic powder if desired.
For the chicken, drizzle on some olive oil and add your lemon pepper seasoning. It should already have salt in the seasoning so don't worry about adding!
To cook the chicken, heat up a tbsp of olive oil to a pan and add your chicken to the pan. Cook each side evenly and until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Finally, assemble the chicken, spaghetti squash, and burnt broccoli and enjoy!
Whether you're a college student or a seasoned "chef" looking for a new dish to cook , this is one you do not want to miss! Super simple yet so satisfying. And I already can't wait to make it again!
Try it and let me know what you think below! :)