This Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies is an ideal weeknight dinner: healthy, flavorful, and ready on a single baking sheet in under 30 minutes. It’s also excellent for meal prep—make a batch on Sunday and enjoy easy lunches or dinners all week.
One-pan dinners are my go-to when life gets busy. They save time on both cooking and cleanup, and they make it simple to serve a balanced meal with lean protein and lots of vegetables. This sheet pan sesame chicken recipe delivers bold Asian-inspired flavors with minimal fuss—just toss chicken and veggies with a quick sesame sauce and roast. You can easily swap or add vegetables to suit what’s in your fridge.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A lighter take on Chinese-style sesame chicken with plenty of flavor and fewer calories.
- One-pan preparation makes cleanup fast and easy.
- Highly adaptable—use your favorite vegetables or whatever you have on hand.
- The sesame sauce is simple yet delicious (only a handful of ingredients) and easy to double if you like extra sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: About 1 lb (roughly 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts) cut into 1-inch pieces. Boneless thighs can be used instead if preferred.
- Vegetables: I used broccoli florets, red bell peppers, and snap peas. Other good options: asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, or mushrooms.
- Soy sauce: Lower-sodium soy sauce works well; substitute coconut aminos to make the dish gluten-free.
- Sweet chili sauce: Adds a bright Asian sweetness and mild heat.
- Honey: Balances the savory and spicy flavors. Maple syrup or another natural sweetener can be used instead; brown sugar will work in a pinch.
- Garlic and ginger: Fresh minced garlic and grated ginger are best for flavor; garlic powder can be substituted if needed.
- Salt and pepper: To season the chicken and vegetables. Add red pepper flakes or chili powder for extra heat.
- Optional toppings: Sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
How to Make Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies
- Preheat oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare chicken and vegetables: Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, chop broccoli into florets, and slice bell peppers into chunks.
- Make the sesame sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.
- Toss everything on the sheet pan: Arrange the chicken and vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly sprayed with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle about half of the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, tossing to coat evenly. Reserve the remaining sauce.
- Roast: Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle the reserved sauce over the cooked chicken and vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve over brown rice, white rice, quinoa, rice noodles, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
Skillet Variation
If you prefer to cook on the stovetop, you can make this as a stir-fry:
- Cook the chicken: Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and mostly cooked through, about 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the vegetables for 4–5 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Add the sauce: Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the prepared sesame sauce, and let everything simmer briefly until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.
- Serve: Garnish and serve as above.
How to Serve
This dish pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine or brown rice, quinoa, rice noodles, or cauliflower rice. Jasmine rice and coconut rice are also nice choices if you want a slightly sweeter, fragrant base.
Storage and Meal Prep
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. The flavors often deepen after a day, so this recipe is perfect for make-ahead lunches and quick dinners during the week.
Ingredients (Quick Reference)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large head broccoli, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into chunks
- 1 cup snap peas
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: sesame seeds and green onions
- For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
Instructions (Quick Reference)
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the sauce by simmering soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger until thickened.
- Spread chicken and veggies on a prepared baking sheet, season, and drizzle with half the sauce. Toss to combine.
- Bake ~20 minutes, tossing once, until chicken is cooked and veggies are tender.
- Drizzle remaining sauce over the finished dish and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over your preferred grain.
Nutrition (per serving)
Serving size: about 1 3/4 cups • Calories: 294 kcal • Carbohydrates: 23 g • Protein: 39 g • Fat: 4.5 g • Saturated Fat: 1.2 g • Sodium: 881.5 mg • Fiber: 3.7 g • Sugar: 4.5 g
If you try this Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies, it’s a great recipe to add to your weeknight rotation or meal-prep routine—fast, flavorful, and flexible. Enjoy!