SHEET PAN CRANBERRY CHICKEN DINNER
One of my favorite easy meals, “formulas,” is two roasted vegetables and a piece of meat. It’s so easy, and cooking all of them in one pan is even better. In this Sheet Pan Cranberry Chicken Dinner, I also included a balsamic cranberry sauce cooked on the stove and only requires three ingredients; it takes 10 minutes to cook, so it’s not that difficult. I hope that you get plenty of enjoyment from this simple, autumn/winter-inspired sheet pan dish!
WHAT’S THAT SAUCE?
As mentioned, I created a simple balsamic cranberry sauce to give the chicken a delicious coating. The sauce is easy to make, consisting of whole-berry cranberry sauce (canned), balsamic vinegar, and butter. It’s a deliciously sweet, tangy, and rich sauce that will be a dream to drizzle over everything!
CAN I USE BONE-IN CHICKEN?
The time and temperature listed below refer to boneless and skinless chicken breasts pounded to an inch or so in thickness. This will allow them to cook fast and evenly. Bone-in chicken can take much longer to cook and is best if cooked separately. To illustrate, Here is a recipe for roasting bones-in breasts of chicken.
MEAL PREP IT!
Sheet pan meals such as these are great for meal preparation! You can divide the ingredients into containers for individual portions after baking and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to make quick meal options (reheat by heating in the microwave).
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Vegetables
1 lb. Brussels sprouts ($1.99)
1.5 lbs. sweet potatoes ($1.79)
2 TBSP olive oil ($0.32)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
14 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder ($0.03)
Herb Baked Chicken Breasts
Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1.33 1 lb. total) ($7.70*)
2TBSP butter at room temperature ($0.28)
1/2 tsp dried sage ($0.05)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme ($0.03)
1/8 teaspoon mince powder ($0.01)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Cranberry Balsamic Glaze
1/2 cup of cranberry whole sauce (canned) ($0.30)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($0.55)
1 Tbsp of butter ($0.14)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400oF. Clean the Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half. Peel and cut them into 1/4 – to 3/4-inch pieces.
Set the Brussels sprouts on one side of a baking sheet, and place your sweet potatoes in the opposite half. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp olive oil over both sides. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper over the vegetables. Then, add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder on top of them. Brussels sprouts. Mix the vegetables in a circular motion, each separate until they’re covered in oil and sprinkled with seasoning. Spread the veggies with the herbs to form a uniform layer. Place the baking tray filled with vegetables in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
While the vegetable roast and the herbs are baking, you can prepare the seasoning baked chicken. AMix the butter at room temperature and thyme, sage, garlic powder, and salt in a small dish. Mix until it resembles the consistency of a paste made from herbs and butter.
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting table and wrap them in plastic. Utilize a mallet or a rolling pin to lightly pound the chicken breasts to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cut each chicken breast hit in half, forming two pieces. Clean the chicken thoroughly and apply the herb butter on the surface of each chicken piece.
After the vegetables have been cooking for about 15 minutes, take your baking pan from the oven. Stir the vegetables and keep each one on its separate sides. The vegetables should be moved away from the center (it’s okay if they stack up a bit) to allow enough space for the chicken breast. Set the four butter- and herb-coated pieces of chicken on baking sheets. Place the baking sheet back in the oven for baking and cook for another 20 minutes.
When the chicken and vegetables are cooking, make the cranberry balsamic dressing. Add the cranberry sauce as well as balsamic vinegar into a saucepan. Mix the two over medium-high temperature, allowing the sauce to rise to the simmering point. Once it’s simmering, reduce the heat and let it simmer for ten minutes while stirring frequently. After ten minutes, take this sauce off the stove and mix it with the butter. The cranberry balsamic recipe should be set to one side.
When the roast has been cooked for 20 mins, you should check the temperature inside the breasts of the chicken. It should be at least 165oF. If not, bake another 5-10 minutes to ensure the temperature is 160oF.
For serving, pour the cranberry balsamic sauce on top of the chicken. Divide the roast Brussels vegetables and sweet potato among four plates. Then, add a piece of chicken to each leaf.
