Baked Chicken and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples

I've made this amazing Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples before and decided it was time to make them again! To pair with it I found the most basic baked chicken breast recipe out there. Since the Brussels are full of delicious flavor, pairing it with such a simple baked chicken was perfect and made for a super easy meal prep. I doubled the amount of Brussels and apples and also made a few extra chicken breasts to get enough food for six meals for myself and a couple for my mother. If you haven't made this Brussels recipe before then you absolutely need to try it! And if you are someone who doesn't like to spend hours meal prepping then this basic baked chicken recipe is for you. This meal was extremely easy and quick to put together and it turned out delicious!

Baked Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pound chicken breasts lightly so they are of even thickness.
2. Pour olive oil in a 13" x 9" baking dish. Lightly dredge the chicken through to coat it, then place chicken breasts side by side in the dish.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the chicken and rub it in with your hands. Place chicken breasts side by side, making sure there is no overlap.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until juices are clear or a meat thermometer reads 160-170 degrees. *Note - depending on the size of your chicken breasts, it could take longer. Mine were pounded to less than an inch thick.
5. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes while the juices settle before slicing.

Original recipe found here

Paleo Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples
Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, tops removed and cut in half
• 2 tsp olive oil + sea salt to taste (for roasting)
• 1 medium pink lady apple {or other tart/sweet crisp apple}
• 4-6 slices nitrate free, sugar free bacon (for Whole30)
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. For this recipe you will roast your Brussels sprouts while cooking the bacon and apples in a skillet on the stove top.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the Brussels sprouts halves are uniform in size, if not, cut the larger pieces to ensure even cooking. Toss them with the 2 tsp olive oil + salt and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast them in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until they're browning and fork tender.
3. Core the apple and chop into ½-1 inch cubes, set aside.
4. Heat a medium heavy skillet over med-hi heat and cut your bacon into one inch pieces.
5. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook, stirring until about ¾ of the way done (according to your own preference). At this point, add the apples and chopped rosemary and continue to cook and stir until the apples have softened and the bacon is fully cooked, adjusting the heat to avoid excessive browning if necessary. Remove from heat.
6. Once Brussels sprouts are done, add them to the skillet and toss to combine all the flavors. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if desire, and serve hot! This can be served as a side dish or with fried eggs for breakfast. Enjoy!

​Original recipe found here