Postpartum Meal Planning – Basil Balsamic Chicken

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Postpartum meal planning is so important!! Nourishing your body with warm, delicious soul-filling foods is a vital part of a healthy postpartum recovery plan.

Food contributes to not only your physical healing in your immediate postpartum period, but also contributes to positive mental health & general wellbeing.

Did you know that just sitting down and mindfully sharing a nourishing meal with someone can boost your oxytocin levels!!!? Magic right??

I love sharing recipes with families that I know are delicious, easy to make-ahead, or easy to ask the most culinary-challenged friend to make for you and bring over! (aka when they say “what do you need?”…send them this link!)

This Basil Balsamic Chicken is a must on my list of postpartum meal options, and is still in regular rotation in my house years later. It’s also kid-friendly food – all my kiddos love it still and it’s sure to please a crowd any time of year!

Consider making this a part of your postpartum meal planning!!

 

Support A Postpartum Family!!

Pro-tip: If you are supporting a postpartum friend, I would pack this Basil Balsamic Chicken up in mason jars in single-serve portions. Pop the chicken/sauce on the bottom and the rice on the top, so it can be heated and poured out into a bowl or eaten straight from the jar. Easy-peasy!

 

Enjoy!!

Postpartum meal prep - balsamic basil chicken
Corinne Russell | The 730 Project

Basil Balsamic Chicken Recipe for Postpartum Meal Planning

Flavorsome, saucy chicken to eat with rice, quinoa or pasta.
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 396

Ingredients
  

  • 6–8 chicken breasts, approx 1 breast per serve
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup dijon mustard
  • 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in an ovenproof dish.
  2. Place all ingredients except chicken breasts in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. Remove sauce from heat and pour over chicken.
  4. Bake for 20–30+ minutes, depending on thickness of chicken. After 20 minutes check for doneness with a skewer, and cook for longer if needed. Baste chicken with sauce occasionally throughout baking time.
  5. Cut into bite-sized chunks and serve over rice, quinoa or any grain of choice. Serve with a side of simple veg – broccoli and carrots are our favorite!

Notes

You can also make this recipe in an Instant Pot. Bring sauce to boil on sauté setting, add chicken and pressure cook on manual for 20–25 min. Quick release when done. Make sure you double or triple the sauce recipe to ensure full submersion of the meat in the sauce and adequate liquid for pressure cooking.

Special thanks to Gillian Harte @house.of.hartes for sharing this recipe with me and being generally awesome.

Also check out these recipes to add to your prenatal/postpartum meal planning

Super Easy Kid-Friendly Veggie Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

Prenatal Super Protein Smoothie


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Hi, I'm Corinne! I'm founder and CEO of The 730 Project. My goal is to help inform and support new families throughout their parenthood journey.

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