Dinner dilemmas on busy weeknights are a thing of the past with this incredibly simple and satisfying chicken and veggie sheet pan meal.
It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking to put a healthy, home-cooked dinner on the table without spending hours in the kitchen.
This recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it ideal for families, individuals, or anyone who appreciates a delicious meal that cleans up easily. Get ready to transform your dinner routine!
Table of Contents
- 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
Quick and Easy Chicken and Veggie Sheet Pan Meal
- Total Time: 35-40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This incredibly simple and satisfying chicken and veggie sheet pan meal is the perfect solution for anyone looking to put a healthy, home-cooked dinner on the table without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it ideal for families, individuals, or anyone who appreciates a delicious meal that cleans up easily.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into uniform 1-inch cubes. Cut the broccoli into florets, bell peppers into 1-inch pieces, and the red onion into wedges. Try to make all the pieces roughly the same size so they cook at a similar rate.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed chicken, broccoli florets, bell pepper pieces, and red onion wedges.
4. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and vegetables in the bowl. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper over the mixture. Use your hands or a large spoon to toss everything together until all the chicken and vegetables are well coated with the oil and seasonings.
5. Transfer the seasoned chicken and vegetables to the prepared baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded. If necessary, use two baking sheets.
6. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time (around 10-12 minutes), give the ingredients a gentle stir or flip them with a spatula to ensure even browning. The chicken should be cooked through (internal temperature of 165 F or 74 C), and the vegetables should be tender-crisp with some slight charring.
7. Once cooked, remove the sheet pan from the oven. If desired, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy your easy, delicious dinner!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: main dish
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
Keywords: sheet pan, chicken, vegetables, easy dinner, weeknight meal, healthy, one pan, quick, roast, broccoli
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This recipe is a true weeknight hero for so many reasons. First, it’s incredibly practical – everything cooks on one sheet pan, which means less washing up and more time for you. It’s perfect for busy parents who need a nutritious meal on the table fast, or for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy dinner without a lot of fuss. The combination of tender chicken and perfectly roasted vegetables is both satisfying and wholesome, making it a great choice for a balanced diet. You can serve this any night of the week when time is tight, but you still crave a flavorful, homemade meal. It’s also highly customizable, allowing you to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, which helps reduce food waste and makes grocery shopping a breeze.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients for this sheet pan dinner is straightforward. Most items are common pantry staples or easily found at any grocery store. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the ability to adapt it to your preferences.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
For simple substitutions, feel free to swap out the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which will also cook beautifully and stay very moist. If broccoli isn’t your favorite, cauliflower, zucchini, or asparagus are excellent alternatives that roast well. Any color of bell pepper works, so use what you have or what’s on sale. For the seasoning, if you don’t have Italian seasoning, a mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme will work just as well. You can also experiment with other spice blends like paprika, chili powder, or a lemon-herb mix to change up the flavor profile.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This sheet pan dinner is designed for speed and efficiency, making it perfect for those evenings when every minute counts.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20-25 minutes Total time: 35-40 minutes
The hands-on preparation is minimal, focusing on chopping the chicken and vegetables. The majority of the time is spent letting your oven do all the work, leaving you free to attend to other tasks or simply relax.
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Creating this delicious sheet pan dinner is incredibly easy. Follow these steps for a perfectly cooked meal every time.
- Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Pan: Start by preheating 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 the Chicken and Vegetables: Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into uniform 1-inch cubes. This ensures even cooking. Next, cut the broccoli into florets, bell peppers into 1-inch pieces, and the red onion into wedges. Try to make all the pieces roughly the same size so they cook at a similar rate.
- Combine Ingredients in a Large Bowl: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed chicken, broccoli florets, bell pepper pieces, and red onion wedges. Make sure there’s enough room to toss everything thoroughly.
- Season Everything Evenly: Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and vegetables in the bowl. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper over the mixture. Use your hands or a large spoon to toss everything together until all the chicken and vegetables are well coated with the oil and seasonings.
- Spread on the Baking Sheet: Transfer the seasoned chicken and vegetables to the prepared baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of roasting, which prevents that lovely caramelized texture. If necessary, use two baking sheets.
- Roast Until Cooked Through: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time (around 10-12 minutes), give the ingredients a gentle stir or flip them with a spatula to ensure even browning. The chicken should be cooked through with no pink remaining (internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C), and the vegetables should be tender-crisp with some slight charring.
- Serve Immediately: Once cooked, remove the sheet pan from the oven. If desired, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy your easy, delicious dinner!
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This sheet pan dinner is wonderfully versatile, making it easy to adapt to different tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you can use milder vegetables like sweet potatoes (cut into small cubes to ensure they cook at the same rate as the chicken) or even add some small cherry tomatoes in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Instead of Italian seasoning, try a sprinkle of taco seasoning for a Mexican-inspired meal, which pairs wonderfully with a side of warm tortillas and a dollop of salsa or sour cream.
For a heartier meal, you can add some cubed potatoes or sweet potatoes to the pan, just be sure to cut them smaller than the other vegetables or add them to the pan 10 minutes earlier, as they take longer to cook. This dish is fantastic on its own, but it also pairs well with a simple side of quinoa, brown rice, or a light green salad. For an extra pop of flavor, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished dish can brighten everything up. If you’re serving this for a casual gathering, consider offering a variety of dipping sauces like ranch dressing, a creamy yogurt dip, or a spicy sriracha mayo.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even with a simple recipe like this, a few common mistakes can impact your results. Being aware of them will help you achieve a perfect sheet pan dinner every time.
One frequent slip-up is overcrowding the baking sheet. When too many ingredients are packed onto one pan, they steam instead of roast, leading to soggy vegetables and less flavorful chicken. To avoid this, always spread your ingredients in a single layer. If you have a lot of chicken and vegetables, use two baking sheets.
Another common issue is unevenly cut ingredients. If your chicken pieces are much larger than your vegetable pieces, or vice-versa, some components will be overcooked while others are undercooked. Aim for roughly uniform 1-inch pieces for everything to ensure even cooking.
Forgetting to preheat the oven is another mistake that can affect cooking time and texture. A hot oven is essential for achieving that desirable roasted crispness. Always allow your oven to fully preheat to the specified temperature before placing the sheet pan inside.
Lastly, not stirring or flipping the ingredients halfway through can result in uneven browning. A quick stir ensures all sides of the chicken and vegetables get that lovely caramelized char. Don’t skip this simple step!
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This chicken and veggie sheet pan dinner is excellent for meal prep and can be stored easily. To store leftovers, allow the cooked chicken and vegetables to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
When reheating, you have a few options to maintain the best texture. For best results, reheat in the oven or a toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. This method helps the vegetables regain some of their crispness. You can also reheat portions in the microwave, though the vegetables might be softer. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating.
For making ahead, you can chop all the vegetables and chicken up to a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to cook, simply combine them on the sheet pan, toss with oil and seasonings, and roast as directed. This significantly cuts down on active prep time on a busy weeknight.
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Q: Can I use frozen chicken or vegetables? A: You can use frozen chicken, but make sure it’s fully thawed and patted dry before cutting and seasoning to prevent excess moisture. Frozen vegetables can also be used; however, they tend to release more water and
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.
