Have you heard about sheet-pan dinners yet? It’s where everything (the protein, veggies, & starch) are all roasted together on one rimmed baking sheet. The trend has been around for a few years, and I have recently been trying some of the numerous recipes I have found on the Internet. The best ones contain colorful ingredients that are complex-tasting with contrasts in both texture and flavor. I shared my favorite one earlier this month and I’ll be sharing more of our favorites over the next few months.
In this recipe, chicken is paired with small potatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion and bathed in a balsamic vinegar marinade. The easiest sheet-pan recipes require the same cooking temperatures and times between all of its elements. The veggies in this particular preparation take a bit longer than the protein, but that dilemma is effortlessly handled by adding the chicken to the pan partway through the cooking time. And by adding the marinade to it all a bit later still. The results are worth the extra steps required for this dinner!
Balsamic Chicken & Potatoes
Balsamic Chicken & Potatoes (adapted from thekitchn.com) Serves: 4, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound small potatoes (2 inches in diameter), halved
- 1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, divided
- 1 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
Instructions:
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
Place the potatoes, onion, and bell pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with the oil, and season them with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, then toss them to combine. Spread the veggies in an even layer, arranging the potatoes cut-side down and close to the edges of the baking sheet.
Roast the veggies.
Bake the veggies until the cut side of the potatoes are golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, honey, 1 smashed garlic clove, and the sprig of rosemary in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook it until it is syrupy and reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Discard the rosemary and garlic.
Make the marinade.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the vegetables and spread them back into an even layer, leaving a space in the center of the baking sheet. Place the chicken in the center and season it with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Crush or mince the remaining garlic clove and scatter it and the dried rosemary over the chicken. Bake until a knife slides easily into the potatoes and the chicken is almost cooked through, registering 155°F on an instant read thermometer, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the chicken to the vbeggies.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Brush the reduced marinade onto each chicken breast, then drizzle the rest of the marinade over the vegetables.
Add the marinade to the chicken and veggies.
Broil until the chicken darkens slightly in color, and is cooked, registering 165°F on an instant read thermometer, and appears glazed, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, potatoes, and vegetables drizzled with the pan juices.
I love sheet pan dinners!
The extra cooking pot & steps are well worth the results! ~Linda
Balsamic Chicken & Potatoes (adapted from thekitchn.com) Serves: 4, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound small potatoes (2 inches in diameter), halved
- 1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, divided
- 1 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
Instructions:
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
Place the potatoes, onion, and bell pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with the oil, and season them with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, then toss them to combine. Spread the veggies in an even layer, arranging the potatoes cut-side down and close to the edges of the baking sheet.
Bake the veggies until the cut side of the potatoes are golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, honey, 1 smashed garlic clove, and the sprig of rosemary in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook it until it is syrupy and reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Discard the rosemary and garlic.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the vegetables and spread them back into an even layer, leaving a space in the center of the baking sheet. Place the chicken in the center and season it with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Crush or mince the remaining garlic clove and scatter it and the dried rosemary over the chicken. Bake until a knife slides easily into the potatoes and the chicken is almost cooked through, registering 155°F on an instant read thermometer, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Brush the reduced marinade onto each chicken breast, then drizzle the rest of the marinade over the vegetables. Broil until the chicken darkens slightly in color, and is cooked, registering 165°F on an instant read thermometer, and appears glazed, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, potatoes, and vegetables drizzled with the pan juices.