Chicken & Vegetable Marinara
When it comes to making healthy recipes, the simpler, the better. Who wants to go out looking for specialty ingredients that cost an arm and a leg?! Not me! That’s why I always keep recipes like this on rotation in our house.
This chicken & vegetable marinara is high in protein, low in fat, and contains a variety of vegetables for a hefty dose of fiber and phytonutrients. And don’t forget about the marinara — the secret sauce — to this dish.
Not only are tomatoes an excellent source of lycopene, a phytochemical with antioxidant, heart-healthy properties, but the sauce provides a cooking medium that makes it nearly impossible to dry out.
Plus, baking the chicken in the marinara sauce means you don’t have to use butter or oil, which saves you some calories from fat (not that I’m anti-fat, but if weight loss is a goal, lowering fat intake in the dish does help cut calories).
I have to address the elephant in the room. This recipe is similar to my One Pan Mediterranean Chicken Dish, with the exception of baking in tomato sauce instead of with tomatoes AND a unique selection of vegetables brought to you by whatever was left in our refrigerator. 😂
Ingredients:
Broccoli (2 medium-sized heads)
Baby carrots (1 and 1/2 cups)
Garlic (5 cloves)
Onion (1/2)
Marinara Sauce (I love the brand Cadia)
Can of diced tomatoes
Chicken breasts (2 lbs)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash all vegetables. Peel garlic cloves and either press, chop, or keep whole. Your preference! Cut onion into slices and chop broccoli crowns into bite-sized pieces.
Slice chicken breast vertically in half to make pieces less thick or faster cooking.
Add chicken, garlic, onion, broccoli, and carrots to a large baking dish, and pour the can of diced tomatoes and marinara sauce onto the ingredients to cover them fully.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked in the middle. Enjoy!
