Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

This balsamic chicken and veggies recipe is a one-pan dinner packed with tangy balsamic vinegar, fresh vegetables, and Italian flavors. It's a heart-healthy, high-protein meal that fits keto, low-carb, and Mediterranean diet plans while keeping dinner simple. If you need an easy meal prep idea, this balanced spring recipe makes weeknights effortless. Pin this quick and delicious dinner recipe to have a go-to healthy meal anytime!

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Why this is the best balsamic chicken and veggies

This is an easy one-pot meal. There is no hard part! All you have to do is marinate the chicken, then cook it with the veggies. Easy peasy, and there's almost no clean-up.

This recipe tastes amazing! Something magical happens when you mix balsamic vinegar with herbs. Let the chicken soak them in, and you have a big winner that everybody's going to rave about.

The ingredients for this easy recipe are common and inexpensive. You probably have most of the simple ingredients already in your pantry, and the remaining couple are available in most grocery stores.

This balsamic chicken and veggies recipe is easy to prepare and takes just a few minutes of active cooking time. You'll need to measure everything, but after that, it's just a matter of waiting for the marinade to soak in then sautéing the chicken and vegetables

The best balsamic chicken marinade recipe is the easiest comfort food. The simple ingredients pack a big punch in terms of flavor.

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This recipe is easy to serve. It doesn't get easier than a dump-and-go marinade, which makes this a perfect weeknight dinner for a busy mom or dad. You can prep it the night before and let it marinate all day, or you can prep it after work and let it marinate for 15 minutes. The flavors are deeper and better if it sits longer, but it will still taste great even in a short time.

This recipe is allergy-friendly and great for special diets. As written, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. It is very high protein which makes it great for vegetarian, keto, low carb, and bariatric diets. As always, check the labels of your specific ingredients to ensure they fit your needs.

What you'll need to make the best marinated balsamic chicken recipe

Equipment

• Garlic press - I always press fresh garlic when I'm using it in a recipe. A garlic press is the best way to do that.
• Large cast iron skillet - You'll need this to cook your chicken and veggies.

Ingredients

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutrition facts.

• Basmati rice - You'll measure this dry but the first step is to cook it according to the package instructions. If you want extra flavorful rice, replace about a quarter of the water with balsamic vinegar.
• Extra virgin olive oil - Higher quality oil is better. The darker green the oil, the better, although some oils are sold in greenish bottles, so be on the lookout for that.
• Chopped onion - You can make the chop as big or small as you want, depending on your preferences. I prefer sweet Vidalia onions but you can use whatever you have.
• Fresh garlic - Nothing tastes like fresh garlic except fresh garlic. If you must, you can use jarred garlic or garlic powder, but your dish will not taste as good as it will with freshly pressed garlic.
• Chopped carrots - We like carrots, but you can use almost any vegetables.
• Chopped broccoli florets - Same as the carrots. Aim for bite-sized pieces.
• Balsamic glaze - This is optional. I like to drizzle it over the finished dish for an extra zing of balsamic flavor.
• Marinated balsamic chicken - Follow the link for the recipe and instructions to make the marinated balsamic chicken that you'll need for the first step of balsamic chicken and veggies. You can use skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in this recipe, bone-in or boneless.

How to make balsamic chicken and vegetables

1. Marinate and cook balsamic chicken in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Do not clean the skillet after removing the chicken.
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2. Prepare basmati rice according to package directions.
3. Heat olive oil in the same skillet used to cook the chicken over medium heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits left over from the chicken.
4. Sauté onions for 5 minutes or until your desired tenderness. Add carrots and broccoli. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender and brightly colored. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
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5. Combine the chicken and veggies. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.
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6. If desired, drizzle with balsamic glaze just before serving. Never reuse marinade that came in contact with raw chicken.
7. Serve over rice.
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Cook's tips for the best balsamic chicken and veggies

I suggest marinating the boneless skinless chicken breasts in a balsamic vinegar and herbs marinade and then cooking the veggies in the same skillet as the chicken without cleaning it in between.

If you want a stronger balsamic flavor in the vegetables, you can cook them in balsamic vinaigrette. Do not use the marinade that the chicken was soaking in! This could make you very sick. You will need to make a fresh batch. To do that, whisk together ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 clove of garlic pressed, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and replace the olive oil in the instructions with this mixture.

Variations and substitutions

The first time I made chicken and veggies, I had onions, carrots, and broccoli in the fridge, so we've just stuck with that. There's no reason that you couldn't use any veggies at all, including mushrooms, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, green beans, corn, and even water chestnuts.

If you're not a big balsamic vinegar fan (I don't know why you would be making this dish, but anyway), you can use red wine vinegar, any vinaigrette salad dressing, or Italian dressing.

If you want to add some heat to your chicken and veggies, sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the finished dish.

I recommend cooking chicken and veggies in a cast iron skillet, but you can also turn it into a sheet pan dinner by spreading the chicken in a single layer on a sheet pan (line it with parchment paper for easier clean up) and surrounding it with the veggies and roasting it in a preheated 400ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. Sheet pan balsamic chicken is just as delicious as what you can make on the stove.

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Storage

Transfer fully cooled leftovers to an airtight container or zippered plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.

I recommend you store the chicken and veggies separately from the rice.

To thaw frozen foods, move them to the fridge overnight, then reheat after they're fully thawed.

To reheat the chicken, I suggest using a skillet on the stovetop. I think chicken reheated in the microwave tends to get rubbery and dry.

Follow this link for instructions on how to reheat rice.

Try these other delicious chicken dishes:

• Chicken Savoy
• Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
• Easy CrockPot Salsa Chicken
• Balsamic Mushroom Chicken
• CrockPot Chicken and Potatoes
• Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
• Chicken Piccata with Zucchini Noodles
• Green Chili Chicken Soup (Stovetop or Crockpot)

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