The Lovell Table

*This recipe was developed for the January Issue of The Marion Mosaic

Achieving a healthy, balanced weeknight meal is fairly simple: choose a protein, a veggie, and a carb or starch, and you’re good to go. That said, it can also feel a bit boring. I love taking a basic meal and jazzing it up with a fun sauce or dressing. This tahini dressing does exactly that—it’s easy to make and adds tons of flavor.

You’ll also notice that I sear the chicken before placing it on the sheet pan to finish cooking. Yes, that means one extra pan to clean. Yes, it’s essential. Searing the chicken before finishing it in the oven is non-negotiable for me. Try it and you’ll see why—it takes the flavor to the next level!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of broccoli (chopped)
• 2 sweet potatoes (cut into small cubes)
• 1 pound of chicken breast 
• Olive oil
• ¼ cup tahini
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 1 garlic clove 
• 1 & ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½  teaspoon garlic powder 
• ½ teaspoon paprika 
• ¼ cup water (as needed)

Method

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. On a sheet pan toss sweet potatoes and broccoli together with 1/2 teaspoon salt, ¼  teaspoon pepper, and two tablespoons of olive oil
3. Place in oven for 15 minutes
4. Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika 
5. Heat a skillet on medium heat on the stove
6. Add 1 tablespoon of oil
7. Place chicken on skillet and sear for three minutes on both sides (6 minutes total) until slightly brown 
8. Remove vegetable sheet pan from the oven and nestle chicken around the veggies
9. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through at 365 degrees (15-20 minutes, use a thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked)
10. While the chicken cooks combine tahini, garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a blender and blend until smooth 
11.  Add water to the blender mixture until you reach a dressing-like consistency
12. Serve the chicken, broccoli, and sweet potato in a bowl with the tahini dressing drizzled on top