Sweet, savory, and sticky, all in one bowl! Use a sheet pan to get this honey garlic chicken & veg in the oven for any busy weeknight!

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Summer memories & a new school year staple!

I’m putting this *gorg* photo of Lake Michigan here, so that when I pull this post up week after week in the fall and winter to make this recipe I can remember all the sunshine and sand we really do get living here! Ha! And I truly mean both points – this recipe will be on repeat often here!

Honey garlic chicken stir fry turned sheet pan!

I started making this sheet pan dinner last month when I took a typical stir fry sauce that I like to make and decided I needed a less hands on dinner during a busy few weeks that we were having this summer. Instead of stir frying, I popped everything on a sheet pan, and the result is a super fast weekday dinner that I’m pretty sure I’ll be using all year long because everyone devours it!

What does sheet pan honey garlic chicken taste like? (IE – will my kids like it?!)

I get this question privately often when I post recipes that are not “typical kid food.” I appreciate the transparency, and truly I always want this space to feel like somewhere that ANYONE in their real food journey can come and get inspiration. Because honestly? I was there too – I didn’t learn how to cook actual real food until I was in my 20’s. And I had to start somewhere – I didn’t love most veggies because I didn’t grow up eating many. But what I DID love was flavor, and food that reminded me of stuff I did grow up on. I didn’t necessarily grow up on Asian take-out food (in fact I’m pretty sure I never had it as a kid), but it is almost as if it is a college kid food group! I lived on it in my college years. The flavor of this honey garlic sauce is sweet and savory and slightly garlicky – so good. If you have little ones in the house around 9 months to 2 or 3 years old, I implore you – try all the flavors of your house with your little one. You’ll be so glad you developed their taste palate for the tastes of your home, and it really does help with less picky eating. If you have older kids, I encourage you to try! Let them dip or drizzle – put them in the driver’s seat. Let them pick the veggie you’ll be serving with it, and let them decide how much sauce to use. Part of the reason for I tend to serve the sauce on the side is because even my kids like to eat it differently (I have 1 kid that separates the meat, veg, and rice and then dips, I have one kid that mixes it all together, and I have one kid that mixes the veggies and meat and eats the rice plain).

The Method :: The Veggies

Swap and switch the veggies according to what you have on hand. Broccoli and peppers are favs here, and onions and carrots are staples. Cabbage is another staple here in our house, and asparagus, green beans, or cauliflower work too. Simply cut the veggies into manageable pieces (not too small or they will cook too fast with the chicken), and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Scoot the veggies to the sides so you can get the chicken on there in the next step. Alternatively, you could use 2 sheet trays – 1 for veggies and 1 for chicken – if you plan to double up for meal prepping purposes (which is something I do often for sure!)

The Method :: The Chicken

Chicken breasts or thighs will work just fine here – use what you have! Simply whisk the seasonings in a small dish, coat the chicken with a little olive oil, and season. The seasoned chicken can go on the same sheet pan as the veggies, or you could use a separate sheet pan if you are cooking more.

The Method :: Roasting the honey garlic chicken sheet pan dinner

Once the veg and chicken are snuggled up on the sheet pan, they just need 20-25 minutes in the oven. During this time you can whisk up the 5 minute honey garlic sauce, and then either tend to the kids, help with homework, clean up, or maybe even sit down for a minute with a book!

The Method :: The Honey Garlic Sauce

I’m not a fan of fussy sauces. Especially if I’m in a sheet pan dinner mode (ie – I’m wanting fast and not fussy!). All you need to do is whisk the honey garlic sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan, then put the pan over some heat to bring to a simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Literally drown your chicken and veg bowls with this sauce – the kids are going to love the sweet and sticky vibe!

Let’s talk leftovers!

This meal feeds my family for 1 dinner. I’ve been doubling onto 2 sheet pans if I want some leftover for another meal or lunch packing. My high schooler has asked multiple times for this to be something she can have ready on a Sunday to have for lunch all week. I think those older kids get more adult-like, and don’t mind having the same thing everyday as long as it means an easy packing! She’s been packing her own lunch since 6th grade, and I think she sees the value in meal prepping to make the weekday easier – what a cool life lesson for a Freshman! So double up for your work lunch, or your kids’ lunchboxes! You can pack it all in a thermos for the kids, or, if you are bringing it to work, we like these small, portable Crockpot warmers that my husband used to use all the time when he commuted!