Easy Chicken with Leek & Carrot
The broth in this bowl came from nowhere. No carton, no cube, no concentrate.
One chicken breast sealed in a pan with leek, onion, and carrots for fifteen minutes. The lid stayed on. The vegetables released moisture. The chicken gave up its juices. And when everything came out, the liquid left behind reduced to a clean, concentrated sauce.
278 calories and 35 grams of protein in a deep bowl of braised vegetables and reduced broth.
The broth in this bowl came from nowhere. No carton, no cube, no concentrate.
One chicken breast sealed in a pan with leek, onion, and carrots for fifteen minutes. The lid stayed on. The vegetables released moisture. The chicken gave up its juices. And when everything came out, the liquid left behind reduced to a clean, concentrated sauce.
278 calories and 35 grams of protein in a deep bowl of braised vegetables and reduced broth.
Ingredients
- leek 1 piece
- onion 0.5 piece
- carrot 2 piece
- olive oil 0.5 tablespoon
- chicken breast 5 ounces
- water 1 tablespoon
Method
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Cut the leek into thick rings. Slice the onion into wedges and the carrot into slices.
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Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken breast for 2 minutes. Add the vegetables and sauté briefly. Add water, cover with a lid, and let everything cook gently for 15 minutes until done. Add an extra splash of water if the mixture becomes too dry. Season with pepper and salt.
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Remove the vegetables and chicken from the cooking liquid and set aside on a plate. Reduce the cooking liquid over high heat to a tasty broth.
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Slice the chicken breast into wide pieces.
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Serve the chicken in a deep bowl with the broth and vegetables.
Pat the chicken breast completely dry before browning. Surface moisture steams instead of searing, and without a proper sear you lose the fond that gives the braising liquid its depth.
Behind this recipe
Is 35 grams of protein in one meal too much to absorb?
No. The old claim that the body maxes out at 30 grams per meal was based on short measurement windows that stopped watching before digestion finished. Longer studies found the body keeps using protein well past that number in a single sitting. Thirty-five grams from a chicken breast is comfortably within range.
Read the full evidence reviewIs 278 calories enough for dinner?
That depends on your daily target. At 278 calories, this plate works well during a calorie deficit or as the protein anchor of a larger dinner. A side of rice, a thick slice of bread, or a simple salad brings the total closer to 400–500 calories without changing the protein balance.
Can I use chicken thigh instead of breast?
Yes. Thigh meat has more fat and slightly less protein per gram, so the macros will shift. Expect roughly 15–20 extra calories and 3–4 fewer grams of protein per serving. The braising method works the same way.
