Diet programs only succeed if they are sustainable. That means that diet programs must be convenient. We are all over-scheduled and don’t need to make eating healthy or losing weight into a time-consuming project.

Many diet programs start with an abundance of enthusiasm and peter out quickly. A large contributor to such failure is being unrealistic about what you can do on a regular basis.

My advice: Don’t be overly ambitious. Make it easy. Minimize meal prep by making healthy dishes with just a few ingredients and only one pot or cookie sheet to clean.

This recipe is a good start. Give it a try.  

Diet Programs Success: One Pot Meals

This one-pot chicken dish is perfect for the cooler weather. You’ll want to make this dish often because it’s so easy, tasty and it won’t leave you with a sink full of dirty dishes.  It requires only 3 ingredients and a few spices.

To save time, you can cut the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts earlier in the day. Then when it comes time to cook dinner, all you have to do is assemble and season the ingredients on the pan. Then just pop it in the oven and go on with your busy evening.

Keep the skin on the chicken to let the fat from the skin drip onto the vegetables, which gives them flavor with minimal fat. The skin gets crispy, but I discard it after baking for a healthier meal.

Baked Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 servings)

  • olive oil spray
  • 16 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (8 oz each) , peeled and diced 3/4-inch
  • 4 large chicken thighs, on the bone, with skin (7 ounces each)
  • 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • fresh black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray an oval baking dish with oil.
  2. Place the sweet potatoes on one side and the Brussels sprouts on the other. Spritz the vegetables with olive oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste.
  3. Season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and rosemary. Place chicken thighs on top of the vegetables, skin side down.
  4. Bake 30 minutes, set the chicken aside and stir the vegetables.
  5. Place the chicken back in the dish skin side up and cook until the chicken skin is browned and the vegetables are roasted and tender, about 30 to 35 minutes more.
  6. Optional, broil 2 to 3 minutes for crisper skin.

VARIATIONS AND TIPS:

  • You can switch out the sweet potatoes with butternut squash, baby red potatoes or another healthy autumn vegetable.
  • Swap the chicken thighs for any other cut of chicken. Be careful not to overcook chicken breasts.

NUTRITION (per serving 1 thigh plus 1-1/4 cups vegetables)

Calories: 409

Carbohydrates: 38g

Protein: 45g

Fat: 8.5g

Fiber: 8g

Click here to get full recipe for healthy diet programs.