Parsnip with Broccoli, Olives & Lemon Chicken from the Oven
Half the olive oil stays raw in the marinade, mixed with minced garlic, oregano, and a squeeze of lemon, then rubbed across the chicken. The other half goes on the baking tray, where it roasts the parsnip strips and broccoli at 200°C until the edges turn golden.
Eight ingredients, one oven, 20 minutes. Olives scattered between the vegetables add salt and richness without a single extra step.
28g of protein and 13g of fiber from one plate. That is roughly half the daily fiber target in a single dinner.
Half the olive oil stays raw in the marinade, mixed with minced garlic, oregano, and a squeeze of lemon, then rubbed across the chicken. The other half goes on the baking tray, where it roasts the parsnip strips and broccoli at 200°C until the edges turn golden.
Eight ingredients, one oven, 20 minutes. Olives scattered between the vegetables add salt and richness without a single extra step.
28g of protein and 13g of fiber from one plate. That is roughly half the daily fiber target in a single dinner.
Ingredients
- parsnip 1 piece
- broccoli florets (frozen) 3 cups
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- garlic 1 clove
- oregano, dried 1 teaspoon
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- olives 5 pieces
Method
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Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
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Wash and scrub the parsnip. Cut the parsnip into equal strips. Allow the broccoli florets to thaw slightly. Squeeze the garlic clove and mix it in a small bowl with the oregano, half of the oil and some lemon juice. Place the chicken breast in a small baking dish and coat the chicken with this mixture.
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Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the parsnip and broccoli on the tray. Distribute the olives among them. Drizzle with the remaining half of the oil. Season everything with salt and pepper. Place the dish with the chicken breast on the rack, slide the rack into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until cooked and golden brown.
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Serve the parsnip, broccoli and olives with the lemon chicken on a plate.
Cut the parsnip strips to roughly the same thickness as a broccoli floret. Parsnip is denser than broccoli and needs the surface area to cook through evenly. Thick strips stay hard in the center while thin ones caramelize and soften in the same 20 minutes at 200°C.
Behind this recipe
Can I use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
Yes. Cut fresh broccoli into florets roughly the same size as what comes out of the bag. Fresh broccoli has not been blanched, so it may need 2-3 extra minutes in the oven to reach the same tenderness. Keep an eye on the parsnip strips at the same time — they should be golden, not charred.
How much of my daily fiber does this dinner cover?
This plate delivers 13g of fiber, which is just over half the 25g daily target most dietary guidelines recommend for adults. The parsnip and broccoli carry most of that load. Systematic reviews have found a consistent association between higher fiber intake and greater fat loss outcomes, making fiber density one of the quieter strengths of a meal like this.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I swap the parsnip for sweet potato?
Sweet potato works well here. Cut it into strips of similar thickness so everything finishes at the same time in the oven. Sweet potato will caramelize faster than parsnip because of its higher sugar content, so check around the 15-minute mark to make sure the edges are golden and not burnt.
