Imagine you’ve just finished a tough workout and you’re thinking about what to eat, but you’re way too tired for anything complicated. Here you go – this is exactly what you need! Plus, while it’s roasting away in the oven, you can tackle other things on your to-do list. This versatile dish works for any time of day – whether it’s brunch, breakfast, or a quick dinner.
Now, I’ll be honest – my kids think anything this simple can’t possibly be exciting enough! To win them over, I’ve learned a few tricks.
Sometimes I’ll add French fries or baked potatoes to make it feel more substantial, or turn it into a “build your own bowl” situation by serving everything over rice with their favorite toppings like shredded cheese or ranch dressing. When fall rolls around, starting the meal with some tortellini soup makes the whole dinner feel special and cozy.
For the adults (or adventurous kids), I love adding a fresh spring salad or that gorgeous apple cranberry salad for some sweet crunch and extra color on the plate. The real beauty of this recipe is its flexibility – it’s your blank canvas that works with whatever you have in the fridge.
And here’s a mom hack: leftover chicken and veggies make an amazing base for dumpling soup the next day, so nothing goes to waste!
Now let’s jump right into this recipe and see how easy it really is.
This recipe uses a single sheet pan, making it incredibly easy to prepare and clean up. The high heat of the oven roasts the vegetables and cooks the chicken to perfection.
Ingredients
1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Optional additions: cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini, or other sturdy vegetables
Directions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Prepare the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, bell pepper, red onion, and broccoli florets.
- Season: Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and vegetables. Add the salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, and garlic powder. Toss everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and seasonings.
- Arrange on Pan: Spread the mixture in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, which allows the ingredients to roast instead of steam.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized. You may want to toss the ingredients once halfway through the baking time to ensure even cooking.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve hot. This dish is a complete meal on its own, but it also pairs well with a grain like quinoa or brown rice.
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetable Swaps
You can definitely swap chicken breast for chicken thighs in this recipe – and honestly, I think thighs might even work better!
Just use 1 lb of boneless, skinless thighs cut into pieces and bump up the cooking time to 25-30 minutes (or 35-40 minutes if you go with bone-in thighs).
Thighs are more forgiving since they won’t dry out as easily, plus they’re usually cheaper and have way more flavor. The extra fat from the thighs actually helps keep all those vegetables nice and moist too.
If you’re using bone-in thighs, just pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes first, then add your vegetables so everything finishes at the same time.
And speaking of vegetables, this recipe is super flexible there too – you can easily swap in potatoes, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or sweet potatoes instead of the bell peppers and broccoli.
Just remember that harder veggies like potatoes might need a head start in the oven, while softer ones like zucchini can go in with everything else. Everything else stays exactly the same – same seasonings, same prep, same delicious one-pan cleanup!
There you have it – a complete, healthy chicken protein meal that’s packed with colorful vegetables and requires minimal cleanup. Hope you love it as much as we do!
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