Sheet pan meals are where it’s at.
In case you’ve been under a rock or are new to the kitchen, there’s a phenomenon sweeping the recipe universe right now that involves making dinner entirely on ONE PAN. And you definitely don’t want to miss out on it because it’s about to make your life a whole lot easier. While I’ve been a fan of this method for a while now (starting with this One-Pan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables that was one of the first recipes to appear on The Real Food Dietitians), this Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies might be my new favorite. Here’s why:
Veggie-packed Colorful Lower in carbs Whole30-friendly and dairy-free option Flavorful thanks to the herbs and good-quality olive oil Bright and lemony The Tahini-Lemon Sauce though (more on that later)
Eat the rainbow.
You’ll have no problem following the advice to ‘eat the rainbow’ with this Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies because it’s literally packed with veggies – cauliflower, red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, grape tomatoes, and if you’d like, a big bed of spinach or arugula (or both) to serve it on.
Just one pan means easy cleanup.
Even though you love doing dishes…kidding! No one LOVES doing dishes. That’s why the sheet pan dinner is so ideal. If you play your cards right and line the baking sheet with parchment paper before adding the chicken and vegetables clean up will take just a minute or two. No scrubbing pots and pans for you. Save that energy for something else, like maybe an after-dinner walk or bike ride.
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Let’s Talk About That Sauce.
I promised there would be more to come about the Tahini-Lemon Sauce that takes this Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies to the next level. Made with the simplest of simple ingredients – just tahini (ground sesame seed paste), lemon juice, salt, and water – it’s earthy/bright/creamy and perfectly complements the salty feta cheese and kalamata olives. If you’ve never tried tahini, now is the time. You’ll be amazed at how delicious and versatile it is (and it’s the key ingredient in this budget-friendly 5-Ingredient Easy Garlic Hummus that’s perfect for snacking or adding to these Mediterranean Steak Bowls). I’m really loving this brand of tahini right now for its silky smooth texture and rich flavor.
How to Prep This Meal:
We know you’ll want to add this meal to your next meal-prep session, so we recommend two ways of going about it:
Prep it up to the point of cooking (aka, Restaurant-Style Prep), or Prep it for an easy reheat-and-eat dinner (aka, Leftovers)
Tips for a Restaurant-Style Prep
Combine the chopped/sliced veggies – cauliflower, red onion, bell pepper, and zucchini – in a large container with a lid or a zip-top plastic bag and store them in the fridge, separate from the chicken, until ready to place on the pan and bake. If you want more flavorful chicken (who doesn’t want that?!) it can be tossed with half of the herb-oil-lemon juice mixture up to two days in advance. The herb-oil-lemon mixture can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use. Wash and pat dry the salad greens, halve the olives, crumble the feta cheese, and make the Tahini-Lemon Sauce up to three days in advance and store them separately in the fridge until ready to use.
Tips for Making This a Reheat-and-Eat Meal
Prepare the recipe as directed. Allow food to cool for 30 minutes before transferring it to a container with lid for storing. Food can be stored in the fridge for up to four days and reheated in the microwave or in a toaster oven or oven, or in a covered skillet on the stovetop (you may need to add a splash of water to the pan for this last method). You may want to divide the food into separate containers for easy lunches or pre-portioned dinners. Consider packing the arugula/spinach/greens, feta cheese, and tahini-lemon sauce separately to add to the meal after you’ve reheated it.
Pin it now & make it later!
¼ cup tahini ¼ cup warm water Juice of ½ lemon Salt to taste
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
