Chef notes
Sheet-pan dinner recipes are one of those things we find ourselves going back to again and again on weeknights, especially ones kids are back to school and after-school activities pick up. This one-pan dinner is just as easy — if not even easier — than piling the whole family in the car and hitting up a drive-thru, and we all know that cooking and eating at home is better for us and better for our wallets anyway.
That’s why we’re certain that this quick and hearty dinner will soon become a go-to recipe for you on busy nights. The whole thing comes together in under one hour.
This brightly-seasoned roast chicken that’s the star of this dinner gets its flavor from an easy rub made from sweet honey and spicy Ancho chile powder. After seasoning, the chicken breasts are baked on one sheet pan along with the corn, while the zucchini and peppers are baked with olive oil and a mix of spices on another. Once cooked, the chicken is hit with a honey glaze before the ingredients are plated and topped with creamy cotija cheese and zesty cilantro. The resulting meal is unbeatable.
Once you’ve tried your hand at this sheet-pan recipe, we bet you’ll be eager to try your hand at more easy sheet-pan dinners, so we’ve rounded up 40 sheet-pan dinners that will make weeknights a whole lot easier for you.
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
- 1 pound red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons chile powder or Ancho chile powder, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 8 frozen mini corn on the cob pieces, thawed
- 2 teaspoons honey, divided
- 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2.In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, bell peppers, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chile powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread in an even layer on a large rimmed sheet pan. Cook for 15 minutes on the lower oven rack while you prep the corn and chicken.
3.Add the corn to the large bowl and toss lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place on one side of a second sheet pan.
4.In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt with 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon chile powder and the black pepper.
5.Pat the chicken breasts dry and rub thoroughly with the honey-chile mixture. Add the chicken to the second sheet pan with the corn and place on the upper oven rack. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest chicken breast registers 165 F. Toss the zucchini and peppers with tongs halfway through the cooking time.
6.While the chicken and vegetables cook, make the honey chile butter glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk in the remaining 1 teaspoon honey and 1/4 teaspoon chile powder.
7.Remove both sheet pans from the oven. Brush the corn and chicken breasts with the butter. Broil on high for 5 to 7 minutes until the corn is lightly charred and the chicken is browned.
