Lemon Pepper Chicken and Vegetables

Name: Lemon Pepper Chicken and Vegetables
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½" (1-cm) pieces; 1 small red onion, cut into wedges; 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into florets (2 cups/500 mL); 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil, plus extra for spritzing; 2 tbsp (30 mL) Lemon Pepper Rub; ¼ cup (60 mL) Greek yogurt; 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4–6 oz./125–175 g each); ½ cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs; Optional: Chopped parsley

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

Ready in 40 min

The yogurt and rub sauce in this recipe is great on kebabs, too!

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½" (1-cm) pieces
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
1 medium head of broccoli, cut into florets (2 cups/500 mL)
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil, plus extra for spritzing
2 tbsp (30 mL) Lemon Pepper Rub
¼ cup (60 mL) Greek yogurt
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4–6 oz./125–175 g each)
½ cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs
Optional: Chopped parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 450°F (230°C).
Combine the sweet potato, onion, broccoli, oil and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the Lemon Pepper Rub in a large bowl; stir to coat. Place the vegetables in a single layer on half of a sheet pan.
Combine the yogurt with 2 tsp (10 mL) of the rub. In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) of the rub. Brush the top (skin side) of the chicken with the seasoned yogurt.
One piece at a time, coat the chicken thighs with the breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Arrange the chicken on the other half of the sheet pan; spritz with oil.
Bake until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), about 30 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley, if you like.

Yield:

4 servings

Nutrients per serving:

U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 310, Total Fat 13 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 115 mg, Sodium 620 mg, Carbohydrate 18 g, Fiber 2 g, Total Sugars 4 g (includes 0 g added sugar), Protein 33 g

Cook's Tips:

Positioning the oven rack near the top helps brown the top of what you’re cooking more. If you want the bottom to brown more, place near the bottom of the oven.

Greek yogurt acts as a glue helping the panko mixture stick to the chicken. Plus, the tartness of the yogurt complements the brightness of lemon flavor.

Easy Change-Ups

Boneless Breasts: Chicken thighs retain more of their juices when cooking, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work just fine! Bake until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), about 20–25 minutes.

Fish Option: To use salmon instead of chicken, bake the vegetables alone for 20 minutes, then add the salmon and bake until it reaches 140°F (60°C), about 10–12 minutes.

Veggie Swaps: You can use small yellow potatoes instead of sweet potatoes, and halved Brussels sprouts for the broccoli.