Healthy, balanced, and colorful. This simple Mediterranean meal is full of bright flavors that your family will love, and the best part is that you won’t be in the kitchen for hours to make it.
Do I have to eat my vegetables?
Every mom across America cringes at the sound of this question. My eye has been twitching for no less than two weeks, and this may very well be the cause.
I’ve got one boy who happily eats everything, one who suddenly develops an aversion to different foods on the daily, and one who only eats his veggies raw. So I can’t always prepare myself for this inevitable conflict, but I do try – sometimes successfully, too.
Like this meal.
Although I set aside a variety of raw veggies for that guy, our other two boys are pretty content to eat these.
It’s all about the roasting, baby.
There’s something magical about roasted vegetables. Seriously.
1. Because they’re stupid easy to make. And 2. Because everything tastes better with olive oil and salt and roasted until crispy.
Except maybe chocolate. I mean, I’d try it. But still.
There’s nothing simpler than oiling up some brussels sprouts, throwing them on a baking sheet in the oven, and letting them be for 20 minutes. (brussel sprouts? brussels sprouts? Anybody else have to Google that to see which is right? Apparently I say it wrong, but the correct way looks super wrong, too. So there’s your lesson for the day.)
The bottom line is that I can basically take any vegetable and roast it this way and make almost everyone in our house happy.
Except for Mr. Raw Veggies Only. But he’s cute and tells me he loves me and says he needs a hug at least 3 times a day, so I’ll let it slide.
The simpler the better
Sometimes I like to play with spices. And sometimes I like my main dish and side dish to be matchy-matchy.
One of the easiest ways to simplify a meal is to eliminate the need to think about it. I’ve admitted here before that I hate measuring things, which is why I prefer cooking to baking. I like to not have to think too hard about getting a recipe exactly right, or having to keep going back to the recipe to make sure I measured correctly or didn’t forget anything.
So this meal is definitely my jam. And I hope that it becomes second nature for you too. Because you’re using the same spice mixture for both the veggies and chicken, you don’t have to keep going to the spice cabinet. Using your own judgment on how much to use is just another way of making this meal even quicker and easier on you too.
Za’atar: the magic Mediterranean spice
Ever heard of it? I hadn’t either until recently. I’m convinced I’ve eaten it before knowing what it was called though.
This time last year, our oldest son had an emergency appendectomy, incurred a couple of complications, and was in and out of the hospital for three weeks. It was genuinely one of the most trying times we’ve endured as parents. Of course some memories of that month are fuzzy now, but some are still very clear.
And although not one of the more important things to note, I do remember one takeout meal we had during our stay at the hospital. Leave it to me to think back on a good meal during a time like that.
We had so many friends, church members, and leaders send us gift cards to make sure we were fed. One afternoon we found a little Mediterranean cafe nearby, and I ordered my usual tabouli, hummus, and pita. That pita had something special! It had been toasted with olive oil and some kind of spice mixture that was new to me. Now I know it was most likely Za’atar.
It’s this perfectly warm, toasty, nutty, and even lemony mix that has proven to go with everything I’ve thrown at it so far: hummus, pita bread, chicken, veggies, olive oil dipping sauce, feta cheese. I found it on Amazon, but if you don’t want to wait the day or two to get it, you can try your hand at a homemade mixture. I think it’s primarily oregano, toasted sesame seeds, thyme, marjoram, and sumac.
But, again, I like to simplify when it doesn’t compromise the dish. So Amazon it was for me. Plus, I’m pretty sure I’ve never owned or used sumac. So there’s that.
What you need for Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Chicken:
For the vegetables:
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- Za’atar
- asparagus
- cherry tomatoes
- brussels sprouts
- onion
- bell pepper of any color
For the chicken:
- extra virgin olive oil
- chicken
- Za’atar
- salt
For the farro:
- farro
- water
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- garlic powder
- Parmesan cheese
Farro: the best kept secret in grains
Move over rice. Meet your new favorite grain, farro.
Farro is a Mediterranean grain that is as easy to make as rice but packs a better flavor AND texture. It’s brown, has a nice chewy texture, has a subtle nutty flavor, and takes on whatever broth or spice you cook with it. And extra fiber and protein never hurt anyone either.
I’ve used it in salads, as a main dish with a protein and vegetables, and as a simple side. Substitute it for rice or pasta (like I ever sub out pasta…), make a big batch and refrigerate it to throw on top of your lunch salad or use as leftovers. It’s super versatile and super yummy.
How to make this Mediterranean masterpiece:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While it’s heating, prep the veggies. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces, being sure to throw away the bottom inch or two of each (they’re tough!). Cut your brussels sprouts into quarters, and cut the onion and pepper into strips.
Place the cherry tomatoes in a bowl, pour a glug of olive oil over them, add some salt and Za’atar, and mix to coat the tomatoes well. Pour them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Reuse that bowl and do the same for all the other veggies. You can combine the heartier vegetables together to save time and baking sheets. If the asparagus is pretty thick, you could combine it with the brussels sprouts. And I would also mix the onion and pepper together for another baking sheet.
Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes, until slightly crispy. The tomatoes may be done closer to the 20 minute mark; once they pop and are a bit wrinkly, you know they’re ready.
If you’re serving farro, follow the package instructions and get it started before moving to the chicken.
While the vegetables are roasting, heat a pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Season the chicken with the salt and Za’atar and place seasoned-side-down in the pan. Brown for 5 minutes or so and flip. Place a lid on top, reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through, checking regularly.
When the farro is finished, drain any excess water, add a glug of olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Stir and serve hot alongside the chicken and vegetables.
Timing is everything.
If you get the veggies and farro started at the same time, then they’ll be ready at about the same time as your chicken. And isn’t that a fantastic thing? To start to prepare a meal and move through the kitchen as gracefully as a symphony plays together – seamlessly, in sync. Every instrument (and component of the meal) has its own place in the music (and meal). When it’s timed well, it creates a stunning final product that happens nearly effortlessly. And when all is said and done, you have a beautiful, fragrant, healthy, and delicious dinner set in front of you that satisfies.
I hope you and your family have the chance to gather around the table with this simple dinner soon. Please let us know when you do!
More Here for Sunday Quick Meals
Homemade Pita/Naan Bread
Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Chicken
Ingredients
- For the vegetables:
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- Za’atar
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
- 12 oz. brussels sprouts
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper of any color
- For the chicken:
- 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs. chicken
- 1 Tb. Za’atar
- 1 tsp. salt
- For the farro:
- 1 c. farro
- 4 c. water
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- garlic powder
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While it’s heating, prep the veggies. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces, being sure to throw away the bottom inch or two of each (they’re tough!). Cut your brussels sprouts into quarters, and cut the onion and pepper into strips.
- Place the cherry tomatoes in a bowl, pour a glug of olive oil over them, add some salt and Za’atar, and mix to coat the tomatoes well. Pour them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
- Reuse that bowl and do the same for all the other veggies. You can combine the heartier vegetables together to save time and baking sheets. If the asparagus is pretty thick, you could combine it with the brussels sprouts. And I would also mix the onion and pepper together for another baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes, until slightly crispy. The tomatoes may be done closer to the 20 minute mark; once they pop and are a bit wrinkly, you know they’re ready.
- If you’re serving farro, follow the package instructions and get it started before moving to the chicken.
- While the vegetables are roasting, heat a pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Season the chicken with the salt and Za’atar and place seasoned-side-down in the pan. Brown for 5 minutes or so and flip. Place a lid on top, reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through, checking regularly.
- When the farro is finished, drain any excess water, add a glug of olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Stir and serve hot alongside the chicken and vegetables.