Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner

Keto Sheet Pan Chicken Recipe

Sheet pan dinners are an easy way to get dinner on the table for my family, especially on busy days. Since everything is made in one pan, cleanup is quick. I line the baking pan with foil before starting, and the whole thing goes in the dishwasher when I’m done. I love this meal when I need something healthy and fast. This roasted chicken and vegetables combo is delicious, simple, and full of flavor. I make this as part of my meal prep. It makes great weekday work lunches. The garlic butter sauce makes this so much better than bland baked chicken and vegetables. You’ll have perfectly juicy chicken and crispy vegetables prepped and cooked in less than an hour. Just spread the chicken and vegetables in a single layer so everything cooks evenly.

Mix up your sheet pan dinner with different vegetables every time. This recipe is perfect for picky eaters since you can add any preferred vegetables. This low carb meal is a staple for weeknight dinners at our house. I squeeze a little lemon over it to finish.

How To Tell if Chicken is Done

To know your chicken legs are done, check the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the chicken legs, alongside the bone. The internal temperature needs to be 165 degrees. Don’t just check the color of the chicken; the color varies and isn’t accurate for doneness. The chicken stays juicy at this temperature.

Garlic Butter Sauce

The garlic butter marinade is high in fats (thanks to the butter and mayonnaise) and the chicken is high in protein, so this dish is very satisfying and keeps you full. Since all of the ingredients are keto-friendly, you can have a generous serving and stay within your macros.

For the garlic butter sauce, I use avocado mayo to add moisture. It keeps the chicken juicy while adding flavor. If you don’t have avocado mayo, regular mayo works. Add your favorite herbs to the sauce. I use parsley, but rosemary, thyme, or oregano pair well too. If you have time, marinate the chicken for up to 12 hours in the garlic butter mixture before baking, or just bake it right away. Marinating longer lets those flavors sink in.

If you don’t want to use mayonnaise or butter, substitute olive oil. Olive oil keeps the chicken juicy.

Roasted Vegetables on the Sheet Pan

A typical sheet pan chicken dinner includes potatoes. But potatoes are high in carbs, so I use turnips instead. Turnips are a great low carb substitute that looks and tastes like roasted potatoes when baked. You can also use radishes: they taste exactly like potatoes and have almost zero carbs. I add mushrooms and broccoli, but you can use any vegetables. I recommend asparagus, red onion, bell pepper, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, or green beans. You can make the sheet pan chicken dish as colorful as you want. Some people add sweet potato but that’s higher in carbs, so I skip it.

Benefits of Cooking in One Pan

Sheet pan dinners are quick and easy. The prep is simple: just add your ingredients to a sheet pan and brush them with sauce. You don’t need a lot of pots, pans, and utensils, so cleanup is fast. Even if you’re not confident in the kitchen, this recipe is easy. You just put everything on one baking tray and let the oven do the work.

Cuts of Chicken

For this recipe, I’m using chicken legs but you can substitute chicken thighs, chicken breast, or chicken tenders. The key is to choose cuts of chicken and vegetables that need about the same cooking time. Chicken breast takes less time to cook, so your vegetables will be less crispy. If you use bone-in cuts like thighs, they take longer to cook, so cut vegetables into bigger pieces or use vegetables that need longer cooking. For this sheet pan recipe, I don’t recommend a whole chicken. It takes too long to roast and the vegetables lose flavor by the time the chicken is done.

Storage

If you have leftovers, store the baked chicken legs and roasted vegetables in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Both reheat well. To reheat, use the oven or microwave. You can freeze them, but they’re so quick to make, I just refrigerate them or eat them fresh.