I’m currently slightly obsessed with this recipe. It’s full of fresh, autumn veggies and saturated with a beautiful balsamic vinegar tanginess–so basically, all of my favorite things. It gets even better, though! It’s all made on a single sheet pan, so the simplicity level is high while the mess level stays low. All things considered, this Sheet Pan Chicken & Autumn Veggies is about to become your new favorite weeknight meal. 😉
I especially love how quickly and easily this meal comes together. It takes a little while to cook, but the prep basically involves a bit of chopping and a bit of seasoning, then viola! You’re ready to go in the oven.
Plus, cleanup mostly consists of a couple cutting boards, a knife or two, and a sheet pan. In other words, it’s a breeze.
Pro tip: if you cover your sheet pan in tin foil, cleanup gets EVEN EASIER.
ALSO, this works incredibly well as a meal-prep recipe! I like to make it for dinner one night, then pack it up in lunch containers to take during a busy work week. It’s ideal, because it’s a low-stress meal to make after I get home from a long work day, and then I’m left with plenty extra for the rest of the week. I’m far less likely to resort to something unhealthy for lunch when I already have a good, nutritious meal prepared!
Side note: in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m basically removing every excuse for you to not make this. You’re welcome. 😉
Anyways, back to the recipe! When I’m in a hurry, I like to use organic, pre-cut butternut squash from the store. It usually still needs a bit more chopping, but it’s much quicker than cutting up a whole squash! Once you chop all the veggies, get ’em all seasoned up and stick ’em in the oven. Adding the chicken in partway through the cooking time ensures that the veggies thoroughly cook without the chicken drying out.
The end result? Beautifully tender chicken, crispy brussels sprouts, caramelized red onions, and the sweet nuttiness of the butternut squash. Despite the fact that it’s an “autumn” dish, I think I’ll be making this Sheet Pan Chicken & Autumn Veggies all winter long, because I’m in love. <3
Sheet Pan Chicken & Autumn Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 4 cups brussels sprouts
- 1-2 red onion (1 large or 2 small)
- 1½ tbsp thyme
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the butternut squash into small cubes (approximately ½ inch). Next, wash the brussels sprouts and chop the bottom ends off, then cut each sprout in half. Don't worry if some of the outer leaves fall off, as they tend to be tougher anyway! After the brussels sprouts are cut, chop the red onion into small chunks.
- Add all the veggies to a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and ½ cup of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp thyme, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set remaining ½ cup of vinegar, ½ tablespoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder aside. Place sheet pan in preheated oven and let cook for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pound the chicken breasts to tenderize and ensure even thickness, then cut each breast in half.
- After 15 minutes, take the pan out to add the chicken and shift the veggies around in the pan so that they cook evenly. Before placing the pan back in the oven, sprinkle the chicken with the remaining thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the extra balsamic vinegar over both the chicken and veggies.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven for an extra 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are warm and tender, yet still slightly crisp.
I’m going to try this soon!
Yay! I hope you love it 🙂