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This garlic basil sheet pan chicken is going to quickly become a favorite weeknight meal. It’s easy to prepare and requires hardly any clean-up. So you can spend less time cooking and doing the dishes and more time with your family!
Who here is a fan of easy, one-pan meals?
*raises hand*
I know I am! Because of my dietary restrictions, I end up cooking about 98% of my food from scratch. The other 2% are filled in with the occasional visit to Chipotle or other similar places.
That’s why I really love easy recipes like this garlic basil sheet pan chicken. It makes tons of leftovers too, which means less cooking on other days!
Confessions of a Messy Cook
When it comes to cooking, I really love it. I feel like being in the kitchen brings me into my zen place. When I am in a cooking groove, nothing else matters. I feel calm, focused, centered, and peaceful.
All that said, when I am done cooking and take a look at my kitchen, well… It looks like a tornado went through. I am probably one of the messiest cooks you’ll ever meet. I don’t clean as I go. I make huge messes and don’t clean them up until I am completely done with cooking that day. This garlic basil sheet pan chicken was no different. I, um, spilled my jar of vinaigrette into the sink and on the counter while I was making it. 🙁
And then I roll my eyes, sigh a heavy sigh, and get to work loading the dishwasher, soaking up spilled food, emptying the trash, etc…
It’s a messy job, but someone’s gotta do it. And that person is me. Because hubby and I had some disagreements when we first got married about the proper way to load the dishwasher, and well, we decided it would be best if I handled it from then on.
Anyone else?? 😉
Confessions of a Busy Cook
And then, on top of everything else, I’m busy. You’re busy. We’re ALL busy.
Busy-ness is the #1 reason that my clients tell me that they can’t eat healthily. It even beats out finances as a top concern why it’s simply not possible to eat healthy regularly.
Psst. I’ve got some tips for you in the next section.
There are so many times where it would just be easier to run out and grab something than to cook a healthy meal at home like this garlic basil sheet pan chicken. Even with my dietary restrictions, there are technically plenty of places where I could piece together a decent meal instead of preparing something in my own kitchen.
But, we’re on a budget. Dining out is expensive, no matter where you go. I was just at Chipotle recently and I couldn’t believe how much the prices have gone up. Dining out really has become more of a special occasion thing, rather than a daily thing, just from a financial perspective.
And even though I could find things that would satisfy my dietary restrictions, there is always the risk of cross-contamination, less than stellar cooking oils, and mystery ingredients that might not be fully disclosed.
That’s why I choose to cook at home, even when I feel to busy to do so. Thankfully, recipes like this garlic basil sheet pan chicken really help.
So now that I have bared my messy soul to you, I’m pretty sure you can understand why meals that only require a dish or two are right up my alley. Because who has time to fix healthy food AND clean a messy kitchen? #amiright?!
Tips for Eating Healthy Even When You’re Uber Busy
Like I said above, I get it. We’re all busy. We live in a world that is constantly go, go, go. Between work, marriage, family, the house, the pets, exercise, self-care, and the gazillion other things that we have on our plates, it can be hard to feel like we can fit one. more. thing. on our to-do list.
But let’s face it. Without good nutrition — which we can only get from regularly eating healthy food — we are quickly going to burn out and crash. No one wants to crash and burn. Trust me. I’ve been there.
5 Sanity-Saving Healthy Eating Tips
1. Really assess your busy-ness. This one is the toughest, but it’s also the most important. Stop and ask yourself WHY you are so busy. What is taking up so much of your time? What things are you doing that HAVE to be done every day? What things are you doing that really have no business being on your plate? Are there any areas you can say no to that would open up some more space for self-care? And yes, healthy eating is a form of self-care.
2. Plan ahead. I know, I know. Planning ahead is just not all that sexy or glamorous, is it? But you know what it IS? It’s sanity-saving. Because having a plan ensures that you won’t be caught empty handed when dinner time rolls around on Monday, or Tuesday, or every day. Plan. Start now and just do it.
3. Batch cook. Again, not the most glamorous thing in the world, but it will make your life 1 million times easier. I promise. Set aside one day per week to prep as much food in advance as you can. Start your meat marinating, chop your veggies, make big pots of soup for lunches, make quiches or frittatas for breakfasts. There is A LOT of stuff that can be one in advance in order to help you stay on track with healthy meals throughout the week.
4. Buy premade food. Yes, you read that right. I am giving you permission to buy premade food. Grocery stores have an amazing variety of premade REAL FOOD that can help us get meals on the table faster and cut down on food waste. From sliced, diced, and spiralized veggies to pre-marinated proteins (make sure you read the label though!), to salad bars with grilled veggies and other sides, getting healthy food on your table can be really fast if you know where to look.
5. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. All this said, health is a journey and it’s one of progress, never perfection. Do the best you can with what you have and leave the rest. The stress you might feel about getting healthy meals on the table every single day is pretty much going to negate any benefit that food may give you. So cut yourself some slack and be OK with where you are right now.
Garlic Basil Sheet Pan Chicken Notes
Normally I have quite a few notes about my recipes and I try to share them here so that I can hopefully address any questions you may have about that day’s recipes. Today, I really don’t have a ton of notes about this garlic basil sheet pan chicken but there are a couple of quick things to tell you.
First, use whatever veggies you want! If the veggies I’ve outlined in the garlic basil sheet pan chicken recipe below don’t tickle your taste buds, then switch them out for anything that does. Pretty much any veggie will work great in this recipe.
Second, yes, you can use chicken thighs in place of the breasts if you like. I’ve included a note below in the recipe about this.
Lastly, if you don’t feel like making my Garlic Basil Vinaigrette for this recipe, then you can use any pre-made salad dressing of your choice. There are some wonderful real food options at almost any grocery store that use healthy oils and have no preservatives, etc.
Alrighty! Who’s ready for some garlic basil sheet pan chicken? Let’s dive in!
Garlic Basil Sheet Pan Chicken :: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy Free
This garlic basil sheet pan chicken is going to quickly become a favorite weeknight meal. It’s easy to prepare and requires hardly any clean-up. So you can spend less time cooking and doing the dishes and more time with your family!
Ingredients
- 1 batch of Garlic Basil Vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or oil of your choice (I like Chosen Foods avocado oil)
- 3-4 chicken breasts (approx. 1 pound)
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 small head of cauliflower (approx 1-2 pounds)
- 2 bunches of green onions
- 1 pound of mini sweet peppers OR 2-3 bell peppers in colors of your choice
- 10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Make your Garlic Basil Vinaigrette from this recipe here. Set aside once made.
- Oil a large sheet pan with avocado oil or oil of your choice.
- Generously salt and pepper your chicken breasts and place on the sheet pan with plenty of space in between.
- Chop your cauliflower into bite-sized chunks and spread around the chicken breasts.
- Trim your green onions and spread around the chicken breasts.
- Trim your mini sweet peppers and spread around the chicken breasts. If you're using bell peppers, trim them and cut into large chunks.
- Sprinkle your cherry or grape tomatoes around the chicken and other veggies.
- Try to get all of the veggies pretty evenly dispersed so there's a little of something all over the pan.
- Pour half of the Garlic Basil Vinaigrette over the chicken and vegetables, using a spatula or spoon to spread around if needed.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The time is going to depend on how thick your chicken breasts are and how full your pan is.
- Remove from oven and serve with extra dressing on the side. This meal is great as-is or can be paired with rice, potatoes, or quinoa for more bulk.
- NOTE: You can substitute chicken thighs for this recipe and it's equally as delicious. Boneless, skinless thighs will need about the same time as the chicken breasts. Bone-in thighs will need 30-35 minutes. Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure of whether it's done or not.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
-
TeamFar Baking Sheet, Stainless Steel Baking Pan Cookie Sheet, Healthy & Non Toxic, Rust Free & Less Stick, Easy Clean & Dishwasher Safe -
Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil 1 L, Non-GMO, for High-Heat -
Mueller Austria 1 001 Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender Heavy Duty Copper Motor Brushed Stainless Steel Finish Includes Whisk Attachment, normal, Silver
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 384Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 7gSugar: 18gProtein: 41g
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