Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken

Sheet pan dinners are always a staple in a busy family meal plan, but there’s a little trick to elevate the sheet pan chicken dinner to something better: A really good sauce. Some sheet pan dinners just toss literally everything together and call it a day. All good, but we can do better! This Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli version shines thanks to a quick savory and sweet sauce that you cook separately and then drizzle over the dish.

Let’s dive in and see what kinds of chicken works best for a sheet pan dinner and how to make really delicious honey garlic sauce!

Want another fast chicken dinner? Try this weeknight chicken biryani!

What kind of chicken works well for this meal?

My preference for this sheet pan dinner is to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this because they stay really juicy and also tend to be cheaper than chicken breasts.

That said, you can use chicken breasts but just be careful that they aren’t too thick or they will take longer to cook through and the broccoli will be completely over-done by the time the chicken is cooked.

So, feel free to use what you have, but my preference is boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Starting the sheet pan dinner

This is a really easy dinner to start. Spread out the broccoli and chicken thighs on a sheet pan and then drizzle them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Try to make sure the chicken and broccoli is in an even layer so it cooks evenly. You want to bake the sheet pan at 450˚F for about 30 minutes.

Personally, I like chicken thighs at around 175˚F so the fat breaks down a bit more, but they are safe to eat at 165˚F.

While the chicken and broccoli cooks, make the rice and the sauce!

The Honey Garlic Sauce

This sauce needs to cook a bit to reduce so add some sesame oil to a small pot over medium heat and then add the minced garlic so it sautes for a minute or two. Be sure to not burn the garlic.

Then add all the other ingredients: honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock, and sriracha. Simmer the sauce for 4-5 minutes until it is thickened but not like a glaze. You don’t want it that thick. Here’s my finished sauce consistency. It will keep thickening as it cools.

This sauce is best cooled actually so it thickens some. You can either make it in advance and stick it in the fridge, OR you can do what I do and put it in an ice bath and it will cool down in just a few seconds.

Want a skillet version of this recipe? I like this honey garlic chicken version from Budget Bytes!

Tips for making a good sheet pan meal

Here are some easy tips to make sure you make a good sheet pan meal.

• Try to make sure your ingredients are in a single layer so they cook evenly.
• Cook a sheet pan dinner higher than you would bake something so it gets blistered a bit on the edges. I usually preheat my oven to 450˚F.
• If you are using ingredients that cook very differently, cook them in stages, adding some ingredients later on in the cook.

What to serve with this sheet pan chicken dish

You don’t need to overthink this for serving. Serve this honey garlic chicken over rice (any kind of rice) or any starch like quinoa or couscous.

Substitutions and ideas

Not a fan of chicken and broccoli? Here are some other ideas.

Substitute the chicken for other proteins like pork loin or pork chops or tofu for a vegetarian version.

Instead of broccoli, use brussels sprouts or slice peppers for some variety in the vegetable department.

If the sauce is too much for you, use a store-bought teriyaki sauce to make it really easy.

How to store leftovers

These leftovers keep great in the fridge for 4-5 days. The chicken and broccoli actually reheats perfectly in the microwave as well so I wouldn’t overthink it. If you want to change it up, chop up the ingredients and serve it in a wrap!

Here are some other great recipes to try!

• Slow Cooker Honey Chicken Thighs
• Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs
• Loaded Broccoli Rice Bowls
• Charred and Chopped Broccoli Grilled Cheese
• Broccoli Crunch Salad