This Easy Sheet Pan Chicken is a total dinner game-changer for busy weeknights. It’s packed with flavor, loaded with colorful veggies, and requires minimal cleanup—all on just one pan!
Learning how to make sheet pan dinners is a great hack for anyone who loves quick, healthy meals. They’re also great for meal prep (dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow and the next day!).
The trick when making sheet pan dinners is to combine protein with veggies that need about the same amount of cooking time (and give veggies that need more time a headstart before putting the protein on the pan.) This is an excellent easy recipe to learn how to make a sheet pan dinner.
Why You Need This Easy Sheet Pan Chicken
- One-pan convenience: Everything bakes on a single sheet pan for easy dinner prep and minimal cleanup. Dishes have never been easier.
- Healthy & balanced: Lean protein, fiber-rich veggies, and healthy fats make this a well-rounded meal.
- Customizable: Swap the veggies or add your favorite seasonings to make it your own. Great for using up all those leftover fresh veggies in the fridge.
- Meal-prep friendly: Cook once and enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day. Double the recipe and have lunch ready all week!
Ingredients You’ll Need For Easy Sheet Pan Chicken
- Chicken breasts: I like boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins, but you will have to adjust the cooking times. This sheet pan recipe is written for boneless chicken. Bone-in chicken takes longer to cook, so if you use that, you’ll need to give it a 15-20 minute headstart in the oven before adding the veggies. It’s best to cook chicken to temperature (165°F or 74°C) to ensure it’s done.
- Seasoning: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano: To keep things super simple, I use a few of my favorite dried herbs. This combo makes a fantastic seasoning blend that tastes great on chicken or pork. You can use any seasoning you like here.
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil: I love the extra virgin olive oil from Thrive Market
- Fresh Broccoli florets: Use fresh broccoli broken up into medium size florets (frozen florets will get soggy and not roast properly).
- Red & orange bell peppers: Any variety of bell peppers work for this recipe.
- Red onion: Chop it up into 1-inch pieces
- Optional: Fresh lemon juice, and fresh or dried herbs like parsley for garnish
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner Recipe
- Prep and season the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken breasts on the sheet pan and rub them with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and the seasonings. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Prep the vegetables: While the chicken starts cooking, chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces and toss them in a large bowl with enough olive oil to coat (about 2-3 teaspoons), then season with salt and pepper.
- Cook: If your chicken breasts are thin (less than 1/4-inch) they will cook in 18-25 minutes. The veggies also need about 20-25 minutes to roast, so you can arrange the chicken and veggies on the pan and cook it all together.
- Tip if using thicker chicken breasts: Thicker chicken breasts will need anywhere from 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. Either butterfly them open, or give them a 10-minute headstart before adding the veggies to the pan. In either case, cook the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C) and the veggies are tender with a crisp.
- Serve: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley (or your favorite fresh herbs) and serve warm. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- Swap the veggies: Try zucchini, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, potatoes or sweet potatoes in this easy sheet pan chicken for a different twist. (Tip: Brussel sprouts, potatoes & sweet potatoes take longer to roast, so chop them up into 1-inch pieces or give them a headstart in the oven).
- Serving Ideas: Serve alone for a healthy high-protein and veggie-packed meal, or serve it with rice, quinoa, or your favorite pasta to mix and match this dish to your preferences. Or, chop everything up and serve it in tortillas with some salsa for some quick chicken & veggie tacos.
- Swap for chicken thighs: Bone-in or boneless thighs work great; just adjust cooking time as needed. Always cook chicken to 165°F (74°C) with an instant read thermometer.
- Make it spicy: Turn up the heat with a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
- Garnish with cheese: Top with crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese to change things up.
- Add a sauce: Try drizzling a squeeze of fresh lime juice or lemon juice, balsamic glaze, or your favorite dressing before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Easy Sheet Pan Chicken makes an easy lunch the next day!
Description
This Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Recipe is loaded with colorful veggies and lean protein. It’s easy to scale up or down, too. Simply add more chicken or veggies to the sheet pan, keeping it in 1 layer without too much overlap. This recipe is perfect for a stress-free meal any night of the week!
For the chicken:
For the veggies:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Season the chicken: Lay the chicken breast on the prepared pan and rub each one with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and half of the seasonings. (*See note about the size of the chicken breasts and cooking time.)
- Chop the veggies: In a large bowl, add all the prepped veggies then drizzle with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then arrange the veggie around the chicken.
- Bake: Arrange the vegetables around the chicken in the sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the vegetables are tender-crisp (or cooked to your liking).
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it. Garnish with chopped fresh or dried parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Tip if using thicker chicken breasts: Thicker chicken breasts will need anywhere from 30-35 minutes to cook, depending on your oven. Either butterfly them open to help them cook faster or give them a 10-minute headstart before adding the veggies to the pan. In either case, cook the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C) and the veggies are tender with a crisp.
