Why chicken thighs?
We love cooking with chicken thighs because they have so much more flavor than chicken breasts. Because they’re dark meat and have some fat on them chicken thighs naturally have a more intense flavor profile. Not to mention, they are thinner and cook faster when you bake them in the oven like we do for this pesto chicken recipe. They also tend to stay moist after cooking and not dry out as much as that boring old chicken breast.
“Cheesy” Dairy-free pesto
We use nutritional yeast to add a little “cheesy” flavor to our pesto and we’re pretty sure you’re gonna love it! It’s perfect for this easy baked pesto chicken, but I have a feeling once you try it you might want to make it just so you have some in the fridge! It’s perfect for dipping with plantain chips or veggies and you can use it as you would pesto in any other recipe.
Sheet pan size
We have a pretty big sheet pan (it barely fits in our oven), so we are able to fit everything on one pan for this recipe. However, since the chicken and the veggies cook for a different amount of time, you could just use two smaller pans (one for the chicken and one for the veggies). Just don’t overcook the veggies, as the tomatoes will get mushy if overcooked. If you like your asparagus a little crispy, check it after 7 or so minutes and remove the veggies if cooked to your liking.
Some other sheet pan recipes to try
SHEET PAN CRISPY VEGETABLES NOODLES + PORKSHEET PAN ROASTED SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLESONE PAN CHORIZO BREAKFAST BAKECHICKEN FAJITA BAKESHEET PAN CHICKEN BUDDHA BOWLSONE PAN HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN
Your turn to try this easy baked pesto chicken
Add this easy sheet pan chicken dinner recipe to your recipe index! It’s another easy weeknight dinner with unique flavors that will have you feeling satisfied and pretty impressed with your skills in the kitchen! Leave a comment below and let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, so we can check it out! Give us a follow if you don’t already. We’d love to stay connected! SHARE IT NOW OR PIN IT FOR LATER!
