Sage & Lemon Chicken w/ Broccoli

4 bonesless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage  
1 lemon
1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 cups uncooked orzo or other small pasta
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large ziplock bag, combine chicken, garlic, and sage. Zest lemon into bag, then cut in half and squeeze half of the juice into the bag, reserving the other half. Arrange chicken on wire rack and bake 15-20 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli. Cook an additional 4-5 minutes until pasta is al dente and broccoli is crisp-tender. Drain and toss with olive oil.

In a small amount of olive oil, saute green onions in a large skillet over medium heat until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add broccoli and pasta to skillet and squeeze remaining half of lemon juice on top. Season with pepper.

Remove chicken breasts from oven and place over broccoli mixture. Serve immediately.

Frugal Breakdown:
4 chicken breasts: $3.20
salt and pepper: negligible
2 garlic cloves: negligible
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage : $0.75 
1 lemon: $0.60
1 head broccoli: $1.67
3 green onions: $0.25
2 cups uncooked orzo: $0.75
olive oil: negligible
TOTAL: $7.22

Verdict: An easy success, considering the deal I found on chicken breasts. Most of the other ingredients are pantry staples, so this was not an expensive dish to make.

The sauce for this recipe was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis from Everyday Italian. Her original recipe was Balsamic BBQ, and you know how much I love balsamic vinegar. I did adjust some of the amounts though. Rather than traditional grilled BBQ Chicken, I created a stir-fry for an all-in-one meal.

Above: Looks better than take-out. Careful, it’s hot!

BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 large head of broccoli, cut or broken into small pieces
1 small onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard 
3/4 tsp salt, divided 
1/2 tsp black pepper

To make BBQ sauce: In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduce by half.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet or wok on high heat. Saute onions for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and beginning to turn golden brown. Remove onions and set aside.

Toss chicken pieces with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and cornstarch. Arrange in a single layer in hot skillet. Saute 3-5 minutes, until chicken is almost done. Pour half of the BBQ sauce over chicken, tossing to coat. Set the other half aside.

Return onions to skillet along with broccoli. Cover and steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Toss to coat all ingredients. Add more BBQ sauce if necessary (sauce will thicken and reduce as it cooks, it will also thicken slightly when it cools).

Serve immediately, over steamed rice or quinoa. Pour remaining BBQ sauce in a bowl to serve on the side for dipping.

Economically Friendly: Now is the time to scout for sales in the meat department. Purchase meat close to the “sell by” date for a reduce price and freeze immediately, then thaw when you are ready to use. We did not use the dipping sauce, so I have another batch to make another dish with, which will save me time and money.

Ecologically Responsible: By cutting meat into smaller pieces, it stretches farther in a dish, meaning you use less. Adding hearty vegetables such as broccoli helps round out the meal without straining resources.

Excellently Healthy: Boneless, skinless chicken is the way to go. Add more vegetables, such as sugar snap peas, peppers, or carrots to increase the flavor and nutrition. Don’t be afraid to improvise with this recipe.

1 bag frozen vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli), thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine vegetables with oil, garlic and italian seasoning in a large bowl and mix well.

Using two sheets of aluminum foil (approx 12×14 in each), fold vegetables into a pouch. Add lemon wedges if desired.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.