A simple recipe for baked chicken bundles with carrots and zucchini

This colourful dish shows how easy it can be to make a healthful chicken entrée without sacrificing flavour — or slaving over a hot stove.

• Preparation time: 15 minutes.
• Cooking time: 30 minutes.
• Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, 750 g (1 1/2 lb)
• 125 g (4 oz) mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, cut into 3.5-cm (1 1/2-in) matchsticks
• 2 zucchini, cut into 3.5-cm (1 1/2-in) matchsticks
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped basil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Cut 4 sheets of aluminum foil, about 30 centimetres (12 inches) square. Place 1 chicken breast on each; arrange 1/4 of vegetables on top.
2. Prepare seasoning mixture: In small bowl, whisk together oil, chopped basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper until combined. Spoon a quarter of seasoning mixture evenly over each chicken and vegetable mound.
3. With the mound in the centre of the foil, fold 2 sides over and then fold the other sides over and tuck the ends under.
4. Bake bundles in baking dish for about 30 minutes. Unwrap each bundle and transfer chicken and vegetables to serving platter with juices, or to individual plates.

• The vegetables add heart-healthy beta-carotene and vitamins A and C; the mushrooms have a high content of glutamic acid, which is believed to boost the immune system.
• When you bake poultry, herbs and vegetables in a sealed aluminum packet, the foods will cook in their own juices, creating exquisite flavour with little fat or sodium.

Each serving provides:

• Key nutrients: 270 calories, 80 calories from fat, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 41 g protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 1 g fibre, 125 mg sodium.
• Blood pressure nutrients: 12 mg vitamin C, 59 mg magnesium, 687 mg potassium, 32 mg calcium.

• Substitute skinless, boneless turkey breasts for the chicken.
• Cut matchstick pieces of fennel and use in place of either the carrots or zucchini.
• Substitute yellow summer squash cut into matchstick strips for the zucchini.

Using only a few ingredients, this delicious recipe is a perfect balance of simplicity and flavour. Try it tonight for a quick meal that's sure to please your entire family.