Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Potatoes

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Potatoes is a flavourful dinner recipe that is equal parts healthy and easy to make. Serve it with a simple side of leafy greens, a fresh salad, or cooked veggies for a delicious and nutritious meal.

About This Pesto Chicken Recipe:

When it comes to dinner, I’m all about simple yet nutritious main dishes. Ones that don’t require hours of prep or too many ingredients. Even as a Registered Dietitian, I’m even a fan of dishes that take advantage of pre-chopped produce or certain store-bought sauces.

We’re all busy, right? Most of us don’t have the time or energy to prep elaborate meals every single night of the week (especially if you’re serving your whole family, too). And don’t even get me started on the clean up!

That’s where this recipe for Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Potatoes comes in. The prep is simple and quick, and while it cooks in the oven you can go off and tend to other things! Once everything comes together, it makes a nutritious and balanced meal that’s bursting with delicious flavour. And it produces minimal dishes!

Why You Should Make More Sheet Pan Dinners:

Sheet pan dinners are a weeknight dream. Everything cooks on the same pan, in the same appliance, at generally the same time! What’s not to love?

Sheet pan dinners like this one and my Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables also tend to be quite balanced, cooking up a protein with some veggies or a starch (or all three!) at the same time.

They’re also great because they require fewer dishes and you can pop them in the oven and walk away (aside from checking on them) so you’re not spending the entire evening in the kitchen.

Is Chicken Healthy?

Chicken is a lean protein (meaning its low in fat and high in protein) that offers 20 to 30 grams of protein per 100g serving (depending on the cut). Besides being a high protein, single-ingredient food, chicken also offers a variety of important micronutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

So yes, chicken can be considered a healthy and nutritious food!

Are Potatoes Healthy?

As a registered dietitian, nothing frustrates me more than people demonizing perfectly nourishing foods like potatoes. Potatoes get a bad rap because they’re a “white carb” but they’re actually really good for us!

Potatoes (white or yellow) are a good source of nutrients like fibre (which people don’t get enough of), potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Yes, potatoes are a carbohydrate food, but we need carbohydrates in our diets, and potatoes are nutritious source of them.

What Makes This a Healthy Dinner Recipe?

Since we’ve already covered the nutrition benefits of chicken and potatoes, let’s look at why combining them together makes such a great pairing:

My general formula for a balanced meal includes a source of protein (chicken), fibre-rich carbohydrates (potatoes), vegetables/fruit, and healthy fats. When we combine these foods, the carbohydrates give us energy, the protein and fat helps us feel full, the fibre keeps our blood sugars balanced, and the vegetables/fruit offer a variety of vitamins and minerals for good health.

Lucky for us, the pesto and olive oil we use for cooking will give us healthy fats. For vegetables, I like to serve the sheet pan pesto chicken and potatoes up with a big side of veggies – usually just a nice bed of greens (I used arugula in these photos) with a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients for One Pan Pesto Chicken and Potatoes:

To make this sheet pan chicken with pesto and potatoes, you’ll need:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Baby potatoes (red, yellow, purple, or a mix)
• Pesto (homemade or store bought)
• Lemon (zest and juice)
• Fresh garlic
• Olive oil
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Salt, black pepper & red pepper flakes
• Arugula (optional)

What is the Best Store Bought Pesto?

While I absolutely love making homemade pesto (see my Pesto Roasted Potatoes recipe), some days we just don’t have the time! This is why I like to keep a jar of pesto in my fridge.

Personally, my favourite store bought pesto is the Kirkland Basil Pesto from Costco! It has such a rich basil flavour and a beautiful vibrant green colour. Note that this one does have to be refrigerated (and you’ll find it in a refrigerated section of the store), but it is by far my favourite!

Sides for Pesto Chicken and Potatoes:

As mentioned, to really round this dish out and create a balanced meal, I like to add a side of vegetables – even if it’s just a bed of arugula drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. I’d totally recommend doing this too, but you could also serve the pesto chicken and potatoes with:

• Steamed or roasted vegetables
• A garden, greek or Caesar salad
• Citrus and Arugula Salad
• Kale Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

How to Store Leftover Pesto Chicken and Potatoes:

If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 4 days and reheat before eating.

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below. Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me on @hannahmagee_rd so I can see!

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