Description
This Cheesy Chicken Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner is a delicious and effortless meal perfect for using up your favorite vegetables. Cubed chicken breasts are marinated in milk, then combined with zucchini, broccoli, red onion, and bell pepper, tossed with seasonings, breadcrumbs, and pecorino cheese, and baked to perfection. Topped with melted mozzarella cheese and garnished with chili pepper flakes and basil, it’s a wholesome, cheesy, and flavorful dinner that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts, cubed into large chunks
- 1 cup milk
Vegetables
- 1 zucchini, sliced into thick half-moons
- 1 stalk broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1/2 red onion, sliced into big chunks
- 1 large bell pepper, sliced into chunks
Seasonings & Coating
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup breadcrumb
- 1/3 cup grated pecorino cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Cheese & Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chili pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, place the cubed chicken breasts and cover with 1 cup of milk. Let it marinate for 20 to 30 minutes to tenderize the chicken and add moisture.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Prepare the vegetables: While the chicken marinates, slice the zucchini into thick half-moons, cut the broccoli into small florets, slice the red onion into large chunks, and cut the bell pepper into chunks. Gather all the prepared vegetables and ingredients together.
- Toss chicken and veggies: Drain the chicken from the milk. In an extra-large bowl, combine the marinated chicken pieces, sliced vegetables, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, grated pecorino, and olive oil. Toss everything thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Arrange on baking sheet and bake: Spread the coated chicken and vegetable mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. If the mixture seems dry, drizzle a little extra olive oil over it. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Add mozzarella and finish baking: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the chicken and veggies. Return the tray to the oven and bake just until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly, about 5 more minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Optionally, garnish with chili pepper flakes and fresh basil leaves before serving for an added kick and freshness.
Notes
- You can substitute pecorino with Parmesan cheese if preferred.
- Feel free to swap out vegetables based on what you have on hand, such as cauliflower or carrots.
- For a spicier version, add extra chili powder or red pepper flakes before baking.
- This dish reheats well and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through by checking that internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).