You’re going to want to add this Honey Balsamic Chicken, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Broccolini to your dinner menu asap this week.

It’s sweet and salty, hearty-but-healthy, and just the most wholesome dish. You probably already have most of the ingredients on-hand, but if not, I highly recommend heading to the grocery store immediately. Your tastebuds (and belly!) will thank you for this one.

AN EASY AND DELISH DINNER DISH

The first time I made this Honey Balsamic Chicken, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Broccolini dish, Bridger and I were hooked.

It turned out so delicious, you guys. I know it may seem intimidating since there are a few elements, but I promise it’s also so easy to make.

The chicken marinade comes together super quick – you’re just going to whisk together olive oil, coconut aminos (gluten-free soy sauce), balsamic vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt + pepper, and red chili flakes. So many tasty, nutrient-rich ingredients!

Then, you pour the marinade over your thin-cut, organic chicken breasts and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Seriously, how easy is that?!

While the chicken is baking, you can prep and cook two of my favorite sides that all come together perfectly in this dish, and each have their own spots on the blog because they’re just too good: Creamy Buttery Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Buttery Broccolini.

SHOW-STEALING SIDES

I have to say, I think the sides are kind of the show-stealers in this dish.

The mashed potatoes are heavenly. They’re creamy and buttery, yet lactose-free (option to use regular dairy milk if preferred, though!), and just so fluffy and delicious.

I love potatoes however they’re cooked – roasted, baked, fried, and obviously, mashed. But what I also really love about this yummy root veggie is that it’s filled with nutrients like vitamin C, B6 and potassium, and contains dietary fiber and resistant starch, which can be helpful for blood sugar control.

And probably my favorite part is the Crispy Broccolini. Broccolini is high in fiber and minerals like calcium and magnesium, both of which are key for many important functions in the body. When it’s cooked to crispy, buttery perfection, it just doesn’t get any better.

Ok so have I convinced you to add this Honey Balsamic Chicken, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Broccolini dish to your dinner rotation yet?! I know you won’t be disappointed, but let me know what you think when you make it. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

Honey Balsamic Chicken:

• Thin-cut organic chicken breasts
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coconut aminos
• Balsamic vinegar
• Honey
• Minced garlic
• Sea salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Red chili flakes, to taste

Creamy Mashed Potatoes:

• Medium yellow potatoes
• Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• Ghee
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Sea salt, to taste
• Ground pepper, to taste

Crispy Broccolini:

• Broccolini
• Ghee
• Avocado oil
• Sea salt, to taste
• Lemon, sliced, to serve (optional)

HOW TO MAKE MY HONEY BALSAMIC CHICKEN, CREAMY MASHED POTATOES AND CRISPY BROCCOLINI

Honey Balsamic Chicken:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Add drizzle of olive oil to a 9×13 baking dish (to grease the dish so the chicken doesn’t stick), then add chicken and pour the marinade in, using a spoon to distribute evenly, if needed.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (While the chicken cooks, you can start preparing the Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Broccolini.)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes:

Add potatoes to a pot then cover with water. Bring to a boil and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until fork/knife tender. (While the water boils, you can prepare the Crispy Broccolini.)

Once cooked, strain potatoes, then add back to the pot along with remaining ingredients. Use a potato masher (or fork/spoon), electric beater or immersion blender to mash the potatoes. Adjust ingredients based on taste.

Note: be sure not to over stir, as the mashed potatoes can become gummy.

For the solo recipe for my Creamy Mashed Potatoes, where I have other pairing suggestions, click here.

Crispy Broccolini:

Prep the broccolini. Wash, then trim the ends, and slice the thicket stems in half lengthwise (top to bottom).

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat (cast iron works great for crispy edges). Add avocado oil and ghee. Once hot, add the broccolini and cook, tossing and covering to help steam for about 5 minutes, or until it softens, and begins to crisp on the edges, making sure to stir every few minutes.

Add the sea salt to the skillet and toss until evenly coated, and remove from burner. Option to serve with lemon wedges.

The solo recipe for a bigger serving of my Crispy Buttery Broccolini can be found here on the blog.

To Serve and Store:

Assemble the Honey Balsamic Chicken, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Broccolini on plates to serve, and enjoy!

Store any leftovers, separately, in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS

For the chicken marinade, you can sub soy sauce or tamari for the coconut aminos, and option to omit the chili flakes if you prefer.

Yellow potatoes, like the Yukon Gold variety, tend to be the go-to when making mashed potatoes, but you can also use a russet. Both of these types of potatoes work well for mashed potato recipes as they’re high in starch and mash up well, providing that fluffy texture. If you’re not dairy-free, then you can use regular milk and butter instead of almond milk and ghee. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your liking. Aside from garlic, many herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage work well too.

The broccolini recipe is pretty straight forward, but option to sub regular butter for ghee, avocado oil for olive oil and feel free to serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over top for some citrusy flavor.

WHY PUT HONEY IN MARINADE?

Including honey in a marinade is a great way to add flavor, color and texture to chicken (or pork) dishes. Most marinades typically include an acidic ingredient, such as lime juice or vinegar (balsamic vinegar in this case), and when combined with an ingredient like honey, the flavor is amplified and helps to keep meats moist that otherwise tend to dry out easily.

WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF POTATO FOR MASHED POTATOES?

Because of their naturally buttery flavor, a yellow potato, like the Yukon Gold variety is the most preferred type of potato to make mashed potatoes with. However, other potatoes like russet or Idaho will also work as they too have a fluffy, sort of airy-like texture that breaks down easily when boiling and mashing.  When it comes down to it, the starchier the potato the better!

HERE ARE MORE HIGH-PROTEIN MEALS AND DELISH SIDES:

Gluten-Free Crispy Chicken Parm

Healthy Mongolian Beef

Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs  

Dairy-Free Potato Gratin

Gluten-Free Cornbread Skillet

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂