Lemon and Thyme Chicken with Lemon Couscous Salad
Howdy, friends! Today, I’m sharing a clean eating meal that can be whipped up super quick with very little hands on time and is sure to satisfy the whole family. Baked lemon and thyme chicken and lemon couscous combine with ultra-healthy and flavorful ingredients, in a light-yet-filling meal, that’s bursting with summer flavors and textures.
Since starting the 21 Day Fix, I’ve become obsessed with herbs and seasonings… anything to spice things up! I’m especially enamored with lemon and thyme flavors, so when I came across Ina Garten’s recipe for Lemon and Thyme Chicken, I had to give it a try.
Lemon and Thyme Chicken pairs well with pretty much any side dish, but Brad loves couscous and it’s been awhile since I’ve made any. I stuck with the lemon theme for the couscous and it made for an incredible summer meal. The chicken would also go wonderfully with angel hair pasta or served over brown rice. Heck, just roast up some broccoli or Brussels and you’ve got yourself a low-carb nutritious dinner.
The chicken is also great chopped up and added to salads. Feel free to play around with the herbs and spices too. If thyme’s not your thing, rosemary would work or even sage. Actually, you could even try using fish; like tilapia or cod instead of chicken, just be sure and adjust your cooking time.
Lemon and Thyme Chicken with Lemon Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Lemon and Thyme Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 lemon, zested, juiced and then cut into 4 slices
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves + 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (or breasts)
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Couscous Salad:
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous, uncooked
- 1 cup diced cucumber, about 1/2 large cucumber
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, about 2 lemons juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- dash of Stevia or sugar or honey
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Lemon and Thyme Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat; add minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano and thyme leaves to the pan. Stir and cook another minute or two.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the baking dish with lemon slices and top with sprigs of thyme.
- Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes, flip chicken and bake for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Before serving, drizzle the pan sauce over chicken.
Couscous Salad:
- While chicken is baking, cook couscous according to package instructions, omitting salt and butter. Fluff with fork. Place in large bowl; cool about 10 minutes, add remaining ingredients (including the entire recipe of lemon vinaigrette, below) and toss to combine.
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake to combine. Or combine all ingredients in a small bowl, with a small whisk or fork.
Notes
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What’s your go-to herb? I absolutely love dill, too!