Spicy Grilled Chicken with Steamed Veggies for Weight Loss
Paprika-spiced grilled chicken breast pairs with lightly steamed broccoli, carrots, and zucchini. A light, protein-rich dinner.
This plate keeps things simple on purpose: chicken breast coated in paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder, grilled until it's got a bit of char, next to vegetables that are steamed rather than fried. Letting the chicken sit in the spice rub for a few extra minutes before grilling deepens the flavor.
Steaming the broccoli, carrots, and zucchini instead of sautéing them in extra oil keeps the calorie count of the whole plate lower without making it taste bland — the chili and paprika on the chicken do enough of the flavor work on their own. A squeeze of lemon juice over the vegetables at the end brightens everything up, which makes this an easy dinner to lean on for weight-loss goals.
Serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces skinless chicken breasts — boneless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder — or cayenne for extra heat
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 cup broccoli florets — fresh or frozen
- 1 cup carrots — sliced
- 1 cup zucchini — sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice — for serving
Instructions
- 1In a mixing bowl, coat chicken breasts with olive oil, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- 2Preheat grill or grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 6–7 minutes per side until fully cooked and slightly charred.
- 3Meanwhile, steam broccoli, carrots, and zucchini in a steamer basket or pot until tender but crisp, about 5–7 minutes.
- 4Plate grilled chicken alongside steamed vegetables.
- 5Drizzle veggies with lemon juice before serving.