This Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini is an easy, healthy dinner! Chicken thighs, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and shallots are sprinkled with seasonings, then baked until the veggies are tender and the chicken is juicy with crisp skin.
It’s a great way to use up summer produce, and it’s naturally low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Why this recipe works
Where I live, zucchini becomes very abundant in the summer. And while I love using it in baked goods like my Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread and Paleo Zucchini Banana Bread, I’m also trying to make more savory recipes with it, like these Paleo Zucchini Fritters.
So I thought roasting them with cherry tomatoes, which also peak in the summer, would make for a great, colorful combination. I add shallots because anything from the onion family is a great way to add savory veggie goodness.
And to make it a full meal, I top them all with chicken thighs. I love using chicken thighs because they don’t dry out as easily as chicken breasts and they’re cheaper, too. And when you bake thighs, they stay juicy while the skin gets all crispy.
The veggies and chicken get coated in seasonings, and then the vegetables soak up all the chicken-y juices as they bake, infusing them with even more flavor.
I finish it all by drizzling everything with thick, syrupy balsamic glaze. You can use store-bought or make your own. It’s pretty easy to make – I include instructions after the recipe below.
Sprinkle on some fresh herbs, like summery basil, and dinner is all set!
Sometimes, when I want to make the meal even more substantial, I roast a tray of cubed potatoes, tossed with oil, salt and pepper, on the oven rack below the chicken and veggies, then serve everything together.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 1 pound zucchini – Three medium-sized zucchini should work, but if you only have really large or small zucchini, that’s fine too. Just aim for 1 pound.
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 large shallots
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2-2½ pounds) – Bring to room temperature by taking them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. However, if you forget to do this (like I sometimes do), that’s fine. Just be sure to use a thermometer to make sure they’re cooked all the way through – see the equipment list below.
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- balsamic glaze – Store-bought is fine (I like a Paleo/Whole30 version like this one) but you can also easily make your own. I include instructions after the recipe below.
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Equipment:
- A cutting board
- A chef’s knife
- A stainless steel baking sheet
- Measuring spoons
- Paper towels
- An oven probe thermometer (optional but highly recommended – these are great with almost any recipe when you want to make sure you don’t over- or under-bake protein)
How to make Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini
Step 1: Heat oven to 425° F. No need to line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In fact, it’s better for the recipe if you don’t, and it’ll still be easy to clean afterwards.
Step 2: Trim the ends off the zucchini and slice into ¼” coins. If the zucchini is very large/thick, you can then cut the coins in half. Add to the baking sheet along with the cherry tomatoes.
Step 3: Peel the shallots and cut into thin wedges from tip to root. Add to the baking sheet. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt, the garlic powder, onion powder and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss everything until the veggies are evenly coated, then spread out into an even layer.
Step 4: Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat/skin. Place skin-side up on top of the veggies, making sure the thighs are not touching each other. Drizzle with olive oil and use your fingers to coat the skin of each thigh evenly. Then sprinkle over ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the Italian seasoning.
Step 5: If using an oven probe thermometer, insert the probe into the thickest thigh, making sure it’s not touching the bone.
Step 6: Bake until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, about 25-40 minutes, depending on their size. If the skin isn’t quite brown enough to your liking, you can then broil the whole sheet pan for about 3-4 minutes, checking frequently to make sure nothing burns.
Step 7: Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and sprinkle over the fresh basil. Drizzle over some of the juices from the pan and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When I want to make the meal even more substantial, I roast a tray of cubed potatoes, tossed with oil, salt and pepper, on the oven rack below the chicken and veggies for about 25-35 minutes, then serve everything together.
But you can roast any vegetable you like on the 2nd oven rack and serve it with the chicken and veggies.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which will take about 25-30 minutes to reach 165° F.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which will need about 30-35 minutes to reach 165° F.
You can use chicken drumsticks, which will need about 30-35 minutes to reach 165 ° F. I sometimes use a combination of bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks since they take about the same amount of time to cook.
You can use an onion instead of shallots. Peel, cut in half from tip to root, cut those halves into wedges and then cut those wedges in half cross-wise.
If you want a bit of spice, you can add red pepper flakes to the veggies, the chicken or both.
You can try other herbs, like 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, thyme or mint, or 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary.
Once cooked, the chicken and veggies (without the balsamic glaze or herbs), can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven until warm, about 15-20 minutes. You can then also broil everything but the skin won’t get as crisp as when it’s first made. Add the balsamic glaze, fresh herbs and serve.
You can freeze the cooked chicken thighs by letting them cool to room temperature, wrapping each one tightly in plastic wrap and then placing in an airtight container or baggie. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven until warm, about 15-20 minutes. You can then also broil everything but the skin won’t get as crisp as when it’s first made.
I do not recommend freezing the vegetables. They will become much too watery and mushy.
Yes, there’s only 12g of carbs per serving, making it suitable for a low carb lifestyle.
Yes. It has 12g of carbs and 3g of fiber per serving, coming to 9g of net carbs. Plus it’s also full of healthy fats and protein, making it suitable for a keto lifestyle.
Yep. The recipe as written contains no gluten, grains, dairy, legumes or other non-Paleo ingredients, making it suitable for a Paleo lifestyle.
Yep. The recipe as written contains no gluten, grains, dairy, sugar or other non-Whole30 ingredients, making it suitable for the Whole30 program.
Other recipes you might like:
- Paleo Zucchini Fritters (Whole30)
- Sheet Pan Chicken Potatoes and Peas (Whole30)
- Sheet Pan Apple Cinnamon Chicken (Paleo, Whole30)
- Sheet Pan Lemon Salmon with Pesto (Paleo, Whole30)
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Banana Bread (Paleo)
Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini about 3 medium
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 large shallots
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, room temperature (about 2-2½ pounds), see notes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- balsamic glaze see notes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425° F. No need to line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In fact, it's better for the recipe if you don't, and it'll still be easy to clean afterward.
- Trim the ends off the zucchini and slice into ¼" coins. If the zucchini is very large/thick, you can then cut the coins in half. Add to the baking sheet along with the cherry tomatoes.
- Peel the shallots and cut into thin wedges from tip to root. Add to the baking sheet. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt, the garlic powder, onion powder and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss everything until the veggies are evenly coated, then spread out into an even layer.
- Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat/skin. Place skin-side up on top of the veggies, making sure the thighs are not touching each other. Drizzle with olive oil and use your fingers to coat the skin of each thigh evenly. Then sprinkle over ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the Italian seasoning.
- If using an oven probe thermometer (optional but recommended), insert the probe into the thickest thigh, making sure it's not touching the bone.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, about 25-40 minutes, depending on their size. If the skin isn't quite brown enough to your liking, you can then broil the whole sheet pan for about 3-4 minutes, checking frequently to make sure nothing burns.
- Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and sprinkle over the fresh basil. Drizzle over some of the juices from the pan and serve.
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