Name: Easy Honey Garlic Chicken & Sweet Potato One-Pan Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-491731H11M33S
Total time: PT-491731H11M33S
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (optional); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 cup honey; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred); 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon sriracha or red pepper flakes (optional, for a touch of heat); Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)

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This Easy Honey Garlic Chicken & Sweet Potato One-Pan Bake is a weeknight dinner dream come true.

It’s the kind of meal that comes together with minimal fuss but delivers maximum flavor, making it a staple for busy families and anyone looking for a healthy, satisfying meal without a stack of dishes to wash afterward.

Imagine tender chicken and sweet, caramelized sweet potatoes, all coated in a sticky, savory-sweet honey garlic glaze, baked to perfection on a single sheet pan. This recipe is designed for ease, making it perfect for meal prep or a quick, delicious dinner any night of the week.

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Time Needed From Start To Finish
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe

This recipe is a true hero in the kitchen for so many reasons. First, it’s incredibly simple to prepare, making it ideal for beginner cooks or those nights when you just don’t have the energy for a complicated meal. Everything cooks together on one pan, which means cleanup is an absolute breeze – a major win on any busy evening. It’s also a fantastic option for meal prepping; you can cook a larger batch and portion it out for healthy lunches or dinners throughout the week. The combination of lean protein from the chicken and nutrient-rich sweet potatoes makes it a balanced and satisfying meal that will keep you full and energized. Serve it up for a casual family dinner, a healthy weeknight meal, or even as a flavorful option for a small gathering.

Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress

Gathering your ingredients for this one-pan wonder is straightforward. You likely have many of these staples in your pantry already, which adds to the convenience of this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha or red pepper flakes (optional, for a touch of heat)
Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)

For simple substitutions, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs, though thighs tend to stay juicier. If you don’t have red onion, a yellow onion would work, or you can omit it entirely. For a gluten-free option, ensure your soy sauce is gluten-free (tamari). If you prefer a less sweet glaze, you can slightly reduce the amount of honey.

Time Needed From Start To Finish

This recipe is designed for speed and efficiency, getting a delicious meal on your table without a long wait.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25-30 minutes Total time: 40-45 minutes

How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues

Creating this flavorful one-pan bake is incredibly simple. Follow these steps for a perfectly cooked meal every time.

Prepare your oven and baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. This step is crucial for preventing sticking and making post-dinner tidying a breeze.
Chop and season the vegetables: On the prepared baking sheet, toss the cubed sweet potatoes and red onion wedges (if using) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Spread them out in a single layer to ensure even roasting.
Prepare and season the chicken: In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper.
Roast the vegetables first: Place the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes and onion in the preheated oven and roast for 10-15 minutes. This gives the denser sweet potatoes a head start so everything finishes cooking at the same time.
Whisk together the honey garlic glaze: While the vegetables are roasting, in a small bowl, whisk together the honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and sriracha (if using). This creates the irresistible coating for your chicken and vegetables.
Add chicken and glaze: After the sweet potatoes have roasted for 10-15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Push the sweet potatoes to one side and add the seasoned chicken pieces to the other side of the pan. Pour about half of the honey garlic glaze over the chicken and the remaining half over the sweet potatoes and onions. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Finish baking: Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the sweet potatoes are tender and slightly caramelized. The glaze should be bubbly and slightly thickened.
Serve and garnish: Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro, if desired, before serving.

Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life

This honey garlic chicken and sweet potato bake is wonderfully versatile. For a kid-friendly twist, you can omit the sriracha and ensure the chicken pieces are bite-sized. You could also add other quick-cooking vegetables to the pan, such as broccoli florets or bell pepper strips, during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. These additions will absorb the delicious glaze and add more color and nutrients.

To make it a heartier meal, serve it over a bed of fluffy white rice, brown rice, or quinoa. For a lighter option, a simple side salad with a vinaigrette dressing would complement the flavors beautifully. If you’re serving it for a small gathering, a sprinkle of sesame seeds over the top just before serving adds a nice visual touch and a hint of nutty flavor. You can also offer a side of extra honey garlic sauce for dipping if anyone wants an extra boost of flavor.

Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Even simple recipes can have small pitfalls. Here are a few common mistakes and how to steer clear of them for a perfect dish every time.

Overcrowding the pan: This is the most common mistake with sheet pan meals. If your pan is too crowded, the ingredients will steam instead of roast, leading to soggy chicken and soft sweet potatoes instead of nicely caramelized ones. Use a large enough baking sheet, or divide the ingredients between two sheets if necessary.
Unevenly cut ingredients: If your chicken pieces or sweet potato cubes are drastically different in size, they will cook unevenly. Aim for roughly 1-inch pieces for both to ensure everything cooks through at the same rate.
Not giving sweet potatoes a head start: Sweet potatoes take longer to cook than chicken. If you add them at the same time, your chicken might be overcooked by the time the sweet potatoes are tender. Roasting the sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes first ensures both components are perfectly done.
Burning the glaze: Honey-based glazes can burn quickly due to their sugar content. Keep an eye on the dish during the last few minutes of baking. If the glaze starts to look too dark too fast, you can loosely tent the pan with foil.
Not lining the baking sheet: The sticky honey garlic glaze can be tough to clean off a bare baking sheet. Parchment paper is your best friend here for effortless cleanup.

How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

This one-pan bake is fantastic for meal prep and stores well, making your weeknights even easier.

Storage: Allow any leftovers to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The chicken and sweet potatoes will retain their flavor and texture well.

Reheating: To reheat, you can use the microwave for a quick warm-up, though the chicken skin might not be as crispy. For best results, reheat in an oven or toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. This method helps to crisp up the chicken and sweet potatoes slightly.

Make Ahead: While the dish is best fresh out of the oven, you can do some prep work in advance. You can chop the sweet potatoes and red onion a day ahead and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also whisk together the honey garlic glaze and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This reduces your active prep time significantly on cooking day.

Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

Here are some common questions people have about making this delicious honey garlic chicken and sweet potato dish.

Q: Can I use frozen sweet potatoes? A: Yes, you can use frozen sweet potato cubes. There’s no need to thaw them first, but they might release more water, so ensure they are spread in a single layer and give

FAQs

Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.