Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Pesto
- December 2, 2025
- Updated: June 20, 2026
- 0 Comments
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies is an easy sheetpan meal, ready in 35 minutes with minimal prep and clean up! High in protein and fiber, this one pan chicken thighs and veggies meal is seasoned with pesto, and is great on its own, or paired with rice or salad!
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I have a thing for sheet pan meals. Maybe it’s because the prep and clean up is simple. Or maybe it’s just the beautiful blend of colors they have. Or I romanticize both of those things.
Either way, this sheet pan chicken thighs and veggies meal is one you’ll want to make over and over again.
Usually, healthy recipes with chicken are easy to throw in a bowl. But, this sheet pan chicken recipe is a keeper!
My formula for easy sheet pans meals is to pair a protein with a veggie and carb – take this sheet pan sausage and veggies or sheet pan pork and sweetpotatoes. So easy to mix and match!
Use broccoli, brussel sprouts, onions, sweetpotatoes, peppers – I promise they will all be delicious. Making this one pan chicken dinner is a great way to clean out the fridge! Use old veggies, or veggies on their way out – they’ll still taste good.
Why the Dietitian Mom Loves this Recipe
“I don’t make meals that take any longer than 45 minutes because it’s not feasible in this stage of life with small children and activities. I love that the sheet pan chicken thighs pair perfectly with any veggies for an easy high protein, delicious meal.”
Why You’ll Love This Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs Recipe
- One Pan + Ready in under 40 minutes – It’s a convenient and perfect one pot meal for those busy nights with quick prep and less dishes to wash.
- High in protein and fiber – Sheet pan dinner chicken thighs with veggies boasts lots of fiber and micronutrients. It can be a low carb meal on its own, or a full meal paired with instant pot lemon basil rice, quinoa, pasta, or gnocci.
- Easy to customize veggies: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand – which makes this sheet pan chicken recipe a great one for cleaning out the fridge or using veggies on their way out!
- Meal-prep friendly: It reheats well, so leftovers make an easy lunch or another quick dinner.
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Your Ingredients
Here are some notes about the key ingredients.
Veggies – I used a red onion, asparagus, red pepper and zucchini. You can easily switch this up based on what you have! Some other options that may work nicely are butternut squash, acorn squash, tomatoes, white onion, cauliflower, broccoli or brussels sprouts!
Spices – My favorite spice blend that I’ve used for these chicken thighs and veggies on a sheet pan is garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and lemon. I also did a layer of pesto on top, which is totally optional, but I feel like it sets this apart!
Chicken thighs – I recommend sticking with chicken thighs for this recipe – the extra fat is so flavorful! Chicken breasts may dry out.
Pesto – Pesto sauce is optional. You can make your own basil pesto recipe or just use a store-bought version!
How to Make Chicken Thighs on a Sheet Pan
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash and chop your veggies, and place in a large bowl. Add your chicken thighs and seasonings to the bowl and mix around.
Transfer your chicken thighs and veggies to a greased sheet pan. I like to brush the pesto over the chicken and squeeze lemon juice over both the chicken and veggies.
You can totally omit the pesto if you don’t have any!
Then, you’ll bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping every 10-15 minutes.
Hot Recipe Tip
You can just enjoy this as is as a delicious meal, or you may choose to serve with orzo, rice, quinoa, salad, sweetpotatoes, etc.
Tested Tips for Success
Here are some tips that I recommend for the best outcome:
- Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of your chicken thighs – it should read 165 degrees F when cooked.
- Swap the veggies as you please. If using larger vegetables, like broccoli florets or brussel sprouts, try to halve them so they cook quickly and more evenly.
- I don’t recommend swapping chicken breasts because they lack the fat and will dry out more quickly.
- If you want a sweeter flavor you could also drizzle this lemon honey dressing on top.
TRY some of these other SHEET PAN MEALS
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 5-6 asparagus spears cut into thirds or quarters
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 lbs chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup pesto (optional)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Wash and chop your veggies, and place in a large bowl. Add chicken thighs and seasonings and mix well.
- Transfer contents from bowl to a greased sheet pan. Brush pesto over chicken and squeeze lemon juice over chicken and veggies.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping every 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with orzo, quinoa, salad, sweetpotatoes, etc.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of your chicken thighs – it should read 165 degrees F when cooked.
- Cutting the veggies into similar sizes can help them cook evenly and quickly.
- I don’t recommend substituting chicken breasts here – they may dry out and not retain the flavor and moisture.
Nutrition
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