Because You Deserve a Meal That’s Done Before You Start Questioning Life Choices
You’ve had a long day.
Maybe you’ve been writing closing arguments.
Maybe you’ve been arguing with fictional characters in a draft.
Maybe you’ve just been existing, which is hard enough.
And now it’s 6:43 p.m. and your fridge has ingredients but no promises.
Let me introduce you to a dinner that asks almost nothing of you and gives everything in return:
One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken with Veggies
It’s fast. It’s flavorful. It’s mostly done in the time it takes to rewatch that one voicemail your client left at 1:17 a.m.
Let’s go.
🛒 Ingredients
(Feeds 2–4 depending on your mood and your trust in leftovers)
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts if you insist)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or just shake some oregano, basil, and thyme like you mean it)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or more – no one’s judging)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes, because life needs a little danger
Veggies (Pick Your Fighters):
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of parmesan if you’re fancy
🥘 Instructions
1. Prep Like You Know What You’re Doing
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Grab a rimmed baking sheet or large cast iron pan – you want one pan, less washing.
Line it with foil or parchment if you value your sanity.
2. Season & Sear the Chicken
Pat your chicken dry like it owes you money.
Season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet (or the same oven-safe pan you’re baking in).
Sear the chicken over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes per side. You want some color. Drama. Crispy edges.
Remove from heat but don’t cook it all the way through – the oven will finish the job.
3. Throw the Veggies In
Toss your chopped veggies in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Scatter them around the chicken like plot twists.
Make it look like you planned this.
4. Add the Garlic Butter Sauce
Melt butter in a small saucepan (or microwave it because who are we kidding).
Add minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant – not burnt.
Stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes.
Drizzle that garlic butter over everything.
The chicken. The veggies. Your existential doubts. All of it.
5. Bake
Put the whole glorious pan in the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender.
(Chicken should hit 165°F internally, but you can also just poke it and see if it protests.)
Optional: broil for 2 minutes at the end for that golden “I totally meant to do this” finish.
🍽️ Serve
- Eat straight from the pan.
- Or serve over rice, pasta, quinoa, or dramatic sighs.
- Sprinkle with parsley or parmesan if you want to Instagram it.
🕓 Total Time: 30 Minutes
And that includes passive existential dread.
🔄 Leftovers?
This reheats like a dream. Add to wraps. Toss into pasta. Eat cold while standing at the fridge with the door open and no shame.
Final Thoughts
You deserve dinner that:
- Doesn’t make a mess
- Feeds your people (or just you, aggressively)
- Tastes like you put in more effort than you actually did
So next time your day feels like a trial – literal or theatrical – let this garlic butter victory remind you:
You are still capable of good things. Especially with one pan.
Brian Brijbag 