As summer ends and fall begins, schedules tend to amp up. Getting a healthy dinner on the table can sometimes add more stress to the day. Nobody wants that!

Keeping some frozen veggies on hand, along with simple protein options, helps make deciding what’s for dinner easier. Another bonus of using frozen vegetables is that there is zero waste. They save you time, and there’s no food waste. Win-win!

Roast Your Frozen Vegetables

I enjoy roasted vegetables, and frankly never thought about roasting veggies from the freezer, but then I did. And found out that you can! Try this simple roasted chicken recipe that uses marinated boneless chicken thighs and a frozen vegetable mix. I used this Birdseye shredded cabbage and carrot mix. It’s pre-seasoned with salt and pepper so requires no additional seasoning.

Print

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Peanuts over Veggies

Thanks to frozen veggies, this easy and well-balanced dinner can get onto the table in less than an hour if you skip the marinating time. But if you can, marinating the chicken for at least an hour, or overnight, will add more flavor. Then grab it from the fridge, and proceed with the quick recipe.

Author Rosanne Rust MS RDN, www.rustnutrition.com

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium for DASH
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil if you have it, optional
  • 2 tsp minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 package Birdseye Shredded Veggies I used White Cabbage & Carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts optional
  • 2 tbsp chopped scallions optional

Instructions

  • Combine the peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sesame oil (if using), garlic and ginger in a large bowl. Whisk until blended. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 400F.

  • Place chicken onto one half of a large baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

  • Pull the pan from the oven, and pour the frozen veggies onto the other half of the pan. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

  • Transfer veggies to plates or a platter, and top with chicken.

  • Garnish with chopped peanuts and/or scallions.

Notes

If you don’t have sesame oil on hand, you can omit it. It does however add more depth to the overall flavor of the marinade. I like to keep sodium lower, but you can add a little more soy sauce if you like.