Sheet pan dinners are ideal for busy families — they’re simple to prepare, everything cooks together, and cleanup is minimal. This Sheet Pan Italian Chicken and Vegetables is bright, flavorful, and a light, healthy weeknight meal.
Why sheet pan meals are so popular
Sheet pan dinners are one of the easiest ways to get a complete meal on the table with minimal effort. You arrange proteins and vegetables on one pan, roast, and serve — no juggling multiple pots and pans. They’re quick, versatile, and especially handy on busy weeknights. Using parchment paper and a light spray of oil keeps food from sticking and cuts cleanup to almost nothing.
Sheet pan recipes also make great meal prep. This Italian chicken and vegetables cooks in about 25 minutes and will store well for lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Ingredients you’ll need
Most of these ingredients are pantry staples. Fresh chicken and vegetables are the only items you may need to pick up.
- Chicken breast tenderloins or chicken breast, cut into tender-sized pieces
- Zucchini
- Red onion
- Cherry tomatoes
Marinade and seasoning:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Lemon (zest and juice)
- Garlic (minced)
- Kosher salt
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Dried oregano
How to make Sheet Pan Italian Chicken and Vegetables
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup, then lightly spray the parchment with olive oil spray.
3. Prepare the vegetables: slice each zucchini lengthwise and cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop the red onion into similar-sized pieces. Place the zucchini and onion on the prepared sheet pan, add the cherry tomatoes, spray the vegetables lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Add lemon slices from the zested and juiced lemon on top of the vegetables.
4. Prepare the marinade: in a mixing bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, and the spices (onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano) with the kosher salt. Toss the chicken in the marinade to coat evenly.
5. Arrange the marinated chicken over the vegetables on the sheet pan and pour any remaining marinade over everything.
6. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature and the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized.
7. When serving, spoon any pan juices over each portion — they’re full of flavor.
Serving suggestions
This dish is delicious on its own for a light meal, or serve it with rice, crusty bread, or roasted potatoes to make it heartier. It also stores well in the fridge for meal prep — portion into containers for grab-and-go lunches.
Typical serving: about 1 heaping cup of vegetables and roughly one-quarter of the cooked chicken (about 2–3 tenderloins, depending on size).
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast tenderloins (or chicken breast cut into pieces)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Vegetables
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 medium red onions
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt, divided
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with olive oil.
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop the red onion.
- Place zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes on the sheet pan. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Add lemon slices from the zested and juiced lemon.
- If using tenderloins, remove any tendons. If using whole breasts, cut into tender-sized pieces.
- In a mixing bowl whisk balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, and spices. Toss the chicken in the marinade until coated.
- Arrange the chicken over the vegetables and pour any remaining marinade over the pan.
- Roast for 25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Spoon pan juices over each serving.
Notes
This recipe stores well for meal prep. Keep refrigerated and reheat gently so the chicken stays moist.
Try another easy sheet pan dinner next time by pairing similar seasonings with sausage, peppers, and onions for a hearty variation.