This sheet pan chicken with garlic-basil veggies is an easy low-fuss dinner or make-ahead lunch idea that’s heavy on green vegetables with bites of boneless, skinless chicken breast tossed in a smokey paprika rub. Drizzle the garlic-basil dressing over the hot veggies and chicken for a pop of brightness and serve it up – it’s a light and flavorful dinner for spring.
Sheet Pan Chicken
There’s an inevitable shift this time of year when the outside world turns green and, in turn, more green shows up in my kitchen and I leave behind the heavier dishes of the previous months. I will admit that this shift is generally short-lived and can promise that the next few months won’t just be variations on green veg and chicken, but I have to admit this sheet pan chicken is a new favorite and one I’ve pulled out a few times when I’m needing a break from more carb-laden dinners. It’s springtime on a sheet pan.
The Paprika Spice Rub
And it starts with boneless, skinless chicken breast that’s dressed up in a simple spice rub that I call, for lack of a better name, paprika spice rub because, well, it starts with paprika, plus a few other spices you most likely have hidden in your spice rack:
- Regular paprika will work fine, but I prefer smoked paprika.
- Add some onion powder and garlic powder
- And salt and pepper
- That’s it!
To ensure everything cooks fast and evenly, I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss them in the spice rub. From there it’s as simple as placing the chicken bites on the sheet pan with the veggies, but first, let me tell you more about the all the green…
Garlic-Basil Veggies
While you could go with just one type of veggie, I like the combo of asparagus, broccoli, and green beans. You get a few different textures in each bite with a little bit of bitter from the broccoli, a touch of butteriness from the green beans, and earthy brightness from the asparagus. Plus, each veggie needs about the same amount of time in the oven which makes life a little easier – no need to worry about cooking them in stages. I drizzle them with a small amount of olive oil before placing the chicken on top. Then it’s just a matter of cooking them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or just until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are crisp-tender.
The last piece of this chicken skillet is a simple garlic-basil dressing – mix it up while the chicken and veggies are cooking. Here’s what you need:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Fresh basil
Either drizzle the dressing over the hot chicken and veggies while they’re on the sheet pan or serve it on the side and drizzle to taste. Either way, you get a pop of fresh flavor.
This sheet chicken recipe serves four as a light supper, so add some brown rice on the side to make it feel a little more dinner-y and filling. I like to save the leftovers for lunch – you can enjoy them cold or reheat them.
Here’s to a new season and lots of green, healthy stuff!
Happy sheet panning 🙂
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Sheet Pan Chicken with Garlic-Basil Veggies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
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This sheet pan chicken is heavy on green vegetables with bites of boneless, skinless chicken breast tossed in a smokey paprika rub. Drizzle the garlic-basil dressing over the hot veggies and chicken for a pop of brightness and serve it up – it’s a light and flavorful dinner for spring.
This recipe serves four for a light dinner, so add some cooked brown rice if you want it to be more filling. The leftovers are great for lunches, too.
Ingredients
For the Veggies
- 8 ounces fresh green beans, stems removed (see note)
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, stems trimmed
- 8 ounces fresh broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
For the Chicken
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2” chunks
For the Basil-Garlic Dressing
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 pinches of kosher salt
- 1 pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the veggies in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle a few pinches of salt over the top. Stir them around the pan to coat them evenly in the oil.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and toss it in the spices until it is evenly coated. Place the chicken pieces on top of the veggies. Bake the chicken and veggies for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked through.
- While the chicken and veggies bake prepare the dressing. Whisk the basil, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl until combined. Top each serving of chicken and veggies with a few drizzles of the dressing and serve.
Notes
To make this even easier look for pre-prepped broccoli and green beans in the produce department.
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Calories: 389
- Fat: 24.7g
- Carbohydrates: 15.1g
- Fiber: 6.4g
- Protein: 31.2g
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