For weekday dinners or anytime you need a fast and easy cleanup, sheet pan dinners are your friend. Using a baking sheet (or a half sheet pan for smaller dining parties) simplifies the cooking process and cuts down on the number of dishes you'll have to tackle afterward. In contrast to a casserole, cooking on a sheet pan means your meats and vegetables can caramelize a bit, adding roasty, toasty goodness a deeper dish can't achieve. If everyone in your families loves chicken, these are easy wins.
When cooking chicken, always ensure its internal temperature comes up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. A whole bird will take about an hour and a half to roast at 350; but a sheet pan dinner made with cut-up chicken pieces should cook up much faster than that.
Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Preheat your sheet pan while you prep your ingredients to ensure the chicken skin crisps up, then add the broccoli halfway through so the meat, sweet potatoes, and broccoli in this one-pan meal all cook to the perfect level. A simple sauce of honey, soy, and lemon brings it all together.
Greek Chicken
Because the onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes can all crisp and caramelize up while the Greek-inspired lemon, olive oil, and vinegar-marinated chicken cooks, they lend themselves beautifully to this simple sheet pan chicken. A little crumbled feta cheese and cooked rice finishes it off perfectly.
Fajita Crunchwrap
An even more delectable dupe for a certain fast food chain standard, these fajita crunchwraps work great as an appetizer or a meal and can even feed a crowd. With fajita chicken, bell peppers, and plenty of cheese sandwiched between crunchy shells, just add some salsa and guacamole to serve up a feast.
Chicken Fajitas
Often served on a ripping hot personal-sized griddle at restaurants, chicken fajitas make a showstopper as much as a meal. At home, using a sheet pan means you can have dinner on the table in a flash, albeit without some of the sizzle. Store-bought taco seasoning cuts down on prep time, too.
Continue to 5 of 9 belowChicken with Peppers, Carrots, and Potatoes
Enjoy the comforting flavors of a classic roast chicken dinner without the fuss. Skin-on chicken pieces, carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers work well, but other root vegetables like parsnips or sweet potatoes would taste great, too.
Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
While this one-dish chicken and potatoes recipe calls for a roasting pan, a sheet pan works just as well. Omit the chicken broth if you use a sheet pan so it doesn't make a mess. Your vegetables will also come out more caramelized without the extra moisture.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts and Pears
Juicy chicken thighs, earthy Brussels sprouts, and sweet pears make a well-rounded meal in this one-pan presentation. A golden mustard sauce gives the chicken a sweet and spicy character and the whole thing cooks together on a sheet pan or in a skillet.
Baked Pesto Chicken with Tomatoes and Mozzarella
If you love the flavors of pizza, top chicken breasts with pesto, tomato slices, and mozzarella cheese for a similar profile without the bread. It all cooks up on a sheet pan or baking sheet, for easy cleanup.
Continue to 9 of 9 belowCrispy Baked Chicken Tenders
When you've got a taste for crispy chicken tenders without the mess, pull out a sheet pan and bake up these crunchy chicken strips, no oil required. Toss some frozen french fries on that same sheet pan, add a dipping sauce on the side, and you've got a meal.