One Pan Garlic Butter Chicken and Vegetables

This one pan garlic butter chicken recipe puts chicken, baby potatoes and broccoli on the same sheet pan, coated in a garlic butter sauce that browns right in the oven. Everything goes in at staggered times so nothing ends up overcooked or undercooked by the time the pan comes out. Cleanup is one pan and a bowl, which matters more on a Tuesday than any other reason to make this.

Why this one pan garlic butter chicken works

Chicken breast and broccoli do not cook at the same speed, and the first time I made this I learned that the hard way: everything went onto the pan together, and by the time the chicken hit 165°F the broccoli had gone soft and turned a dull army green. Giving the potatoes a ten-minute head start, then the chicken, then the broccoli last, fixed both problems without needing a second pan or a skillet on the side.

The garlic butter does double duty too. Half goes on the chicken and potatoes before they roast, so it has time to soak in and brown at the edges. The other half goes on the broccoli right before it joins the pan, so the garlic stays fragrant instead of turning bitter from sitting too long in a hot oven.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Chicken breast: cut into even 1 1/2-inch chunks so every piece finishes cooking at roughly the same time. Boneless, skinless thighs work too, and they are more forgiving if you tend to pull chicken out a few minutes late, though they take about 5 minutes longer.

Baby potatoes: halved so the cut side caramelizes against the pan. Regular potatoes work if you cut them into pieces about the same size.

Broccoli: swap for green beans or asparagus if that is what you have on hand. Add them at the same later stage as the broccoli since they cook at a similar rate.

Butter: unsalted butter keeps the seasoning in your control. For a dairy-free version, olive oil works in the sauce, though the finished dish will taste more like garlic and herbs than garlic butter.

Garlic: fresh cloves give the best flavor here since they are only exposed to real heat once, in the oven. Pre-minced jarred garlic works in a pinch, use slightly less since it is more concentrated.

How to make the garlic butter sauce

Melt the butter first, then stir in the garlic off the heat. Garlic stirred into already-melted butter stays sharp and fresh instead of turning bitter, since it only meets real heat once the pan goes into the oven. Add the herbs, paprika and half the parsley at the same time, then split the sauce in two.

Half goes over the chicken and potatoes before their first round in the oven, and the other half goes over the broccoli right before it joins the pan. A squeeze of lemon juice at the very end brightens the whole dish, which matters since butter and roasted vegetables can taste a little heavy without it.

One pan garlic butter chicken recipe

One Pan Garlic Butter Chicken and Vegetables

Recipe by Mounalisa

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Chicken, baby potatoes and broccoli roasted together in a garlic butter sauce, all on one sheet pan. Ready in about 50 minutes with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved

• 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, divided, plus more for serving

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread them over one side of the pan, and roast for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the melted butter, garlic, thyme, paprika, half the parsley, the salt and the pepper together in a small bowl.
• Toss the chicken chunks with half of the garlic butter, add them to the pan with the potatoes, and roast for 15 minutes.
• Toss the broccoli in the remaining garlic butter, add it to the pan, and roast for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F, the potatoes are fork-tender and the broccoli has lightly charred edges.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over everything, scatter the remaining parsley on top, and serve straight from the pan.

Notes

Servings and timing are estimates based on the ingredients in this recipe, adjust to taste and to your own tested version. Cutting the chicken into even chunks helps every piece finish cooking at the same time.

Tips for the best sheet pan chicken

Cut the chicken into pieces that are close to the same size. Uneven chunks mean some pieces are dry by the time the biggest one is done.

Spread everything in a single layer with a little space between pieces. A crowded pan traps steam, and the chicken ends up simmering in its own juices instead of browning.

Use a meat thermometer instead of guessing. Chicken breast can look done on the outside well before the center reaches a safe temperature, and pulling it out a few degrees early tends to leave the middle undercooked.

Line the pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup, or foil if you want to catch every drop of garlic butter for spooning back over the chicken before serving.

Ways to vary this dish

Different vegetables: swap the broccoli for green beans, asparagus or Brussels sprouts halved lengthwise, added at the same later stage.

Some heat: add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter if you want the sauce spicier.

Chicken thighs: use boneless, skinless thighs instead of breast for a juicier bite that holds up better if dinner gets delayed by ten minutes.

Parmesan finish: scatter grated parmesan over the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven, it melts into the garlic butter almost instantly.

What to serve with this dish

This is a complete dinner on its own, protein, starch and vegetable all on the same pan, but a piece of crusty bread is worth having around to mop up the garlic butter left on the pan. If you want another quick chicken dinner for later in the week, our chicken cutlet recipe is ready in about the same amount of time.

Storage and reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, both keep the chicken from drying out the way a microwave can. If you do use the microwave, cover the plate and reheat in short bursts, checking in between.

Nutrition estimate

These numbers are an estimate only, based on the ingredients in this recipe, not calculated automatically or lab tested. Actual values will vary depending on the exact brands and quantities you use. Per serving (based on 4 servings): approximately 480 to 540 calories, 35 to 40g protein, 20 to 25g carbohydrates, 28 to 32g fat, and 500 to 600mg sodium.

Frequently asked questions