There are stretches of time around our house where things are quiet, and I have plenty of time to plan out a menu, go shopping and make an excellent meal. Then there are the rest of the days of the week where everything gets a little hectic, and we need a meal that can get put together quickly and without much fuss. I still would rather cook something at home than turn to getting a pizza or other takeout food, so there is nothing wrong with throwing a one-pan meal in there to make things quick and painless for dinner. Times like this are when your trusty sheet pan can be the perfect vehicle for your entire meal. I make quite a few one pan or one pot meals, often in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, but a sheet pan is perfect for these meals too. I came across this recipe at Well Plated for chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, and Brussel sprouts that was ideal for dinner the other night and thought I would see how it went.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Brussels Sprouts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and lightly pounded to even out thickness
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
4 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quarter if very large), about 1 pound
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into rough 1-inch pieces
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts in a large, zip-top bag. Drizzle the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the garlic, 1 tablespoon of rosemary, the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Zip the bag tightly, then shake and rub the bag to coat the chicken in the oil and spices. Set the chicken aside while you chop the vegetables and apples, or refrigerate the chicken for up to 1 day.
Once chopped, place the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and apple on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables and apple with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle everything with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Toss the ingredients to evenly coat everything, then spread the vegetables and apple into an even layer on the baking sheet.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place the pieces on top of the apple and vegetables. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast everything until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees, about 18 to 22 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a plate to rest and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Toss the apple and vegetables on the pan, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking until the contents of the baking sheet are caramelized and tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables and apple with the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary. Serve everything warm with the rested chicken.
This is an excellent meal any time of the year, though it seems particularly cozy and warming in the winter months. The flavors are great with the sweet potatoes, apple and Brussels sprouts all nicely roasted together, and the chicken picks up the subtle flavor as well when it is cooked with everything like this. I made two slight changes to this recipe, cooking the sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts and apples alone at first for about 15 minutes and then adding the chicken pieces on top of everything to cook for the final 20 minutes, so I didn’t have to take the chicken out to let it rest. I also omitted the rosemary since Michelle is not a fan of it and just stuck with salt and pepper, though there are other herbs you could use instead if you wanted some extra punch and flavor. This is the kind of meal that would work well with any chicken pieces you like (drumsticks or thighs would work too) or even use some boneless pork chops instead for something different. The whole meal takes about 35 minutes to cook so you can’t go wrong giving it a try.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
onedadskitchen 