Simple One Pan Balsamic Chicken

I used to think weeknight dinners had to be a compromise—either they were healthy but took forever, or they were quick but left me with a sink full of dirty pans. Then I discovered the magic of sheet pan meals, and this balsamic chicken became my go-to.

The secret is that everything cooks together on one pan. You marinate the chicken in balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing while you chop your veggies, toss it all together, and slide it in the oven. Thirty minutes later, you’ve got tender chicken and roasted vegetables with barely any cleanup. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got this whole dinner thing figured out, even on a Tuesday night when everyone’s hungry and you’re running on fumes.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

This recipe calls for chicken tenderloins, which are those small, tender strips that cook quickly and evenly. If you can’t find tenderloins at your store, chicken breasts work just as well – just slice them into strips about the same size so everything cooks at the same rate. You can use either fresh or frozen chicken, but if you’re going with frozen, make sure to thaw it completely first so it cooks evenly with the vegetables. Whether you choose organic, free-range, or conventional chicken is totally up to your preference and budget – they’ll all turn out great in this recipe.

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Options for Substitutions

This one-pan meal is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken tenderloins: You can swap these for boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If using breasts, slice them thinner or pound them to about 1/2 inch thick so they cook evenly. Thighs will need a few extra minutes in the oven.
• Italian dressing: Make your own by mixing 1/2 cup olive oil with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, and a pinch of garlic powder and salt.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar with a tiny drizzle of honey works in a pinch, though you’ll lose some of that sweet tanginess that balsamic brings to the dish.
• Broccoli: Feel free to use cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, or zucchini instead. Just keep the pieces roughly the same size so everything cooks at the same rate.
• Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes work just as well, or you can use regular tomatoes cut into wedges. Add them during the last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent them from getting too mushy.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this recipe is overcrowding the pan, which causes the vegetables to steam instead of roast – make sure everything is spread in a single layer with some space between pieces so you get those nice caramelized edges.

Don’t skip marinating the chicken for the full 30 minutes, as this step is what gives the meat its flavor and keeps it tender, and resist the urge to flip the chicken while it bakes since leaving it undisturbed helps it develop a better texture.

Another common error is adding the chicken too early, which leads to overcooked, dry meat while waiting for the vegetables to finish – the veggies need that head start since they take longer to cook through.

Finally, check that your chicken reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece, and if your vegetables aren’t quite tender when the chicken is done, you can always remove the chicken to rest while the veggies get a few more minutes in the oven.

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What to Serve With Balsamic Chicken?

This balsamic chicken is already packed with veggies, so all you really need is a good starch to round out the meal. I love serving it over fluffy white rice or quinoa, which soaks up all that tangy balsamic sauce perfectly. Garlic bread or a warm baguette is another great option if you want something to mop up the extra sauce on your plate. For a heartier meal, try it with roasted potatoes or creamy mashed potatoes on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: This one pan meal is great for meal prep! Keep the chicken and veggies together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The balsamic flavors actually get even better as they sit, so leftovers taste amazing the next day.

Freeze: You can freeze this dish for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that the broccoli and tomatoes might be a bit softer when you thaw them, but the chicken holds up really well and the taste is still delicious.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, or heat it in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. If it seems a little dry, just drizzle a bit of olive oil or extra balsamic vinegar over the top while reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 700-850
• Protein: 75-85 g
• Fat: 32-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 35-45 g

Ingredients

For the marinade and glaze:

• 8 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 0.4 cup Italian dressing

For the chicken:

• 1.25 lb chicken tenderloins
• cooking spray

For the vegetables:

• 2 heads broccoli (cut into 1-inch florets to ensure even roasting)
• 1 cup carrots
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
• salt
• pepper

For the garnish:

• fresh parsley

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Season the Vegetables

• cooking spray
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 8 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 0.4 cup Italian dressing
• 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly coat a large sheet pan (approximately 18×13 inches) with cooking spray.

While the oven heats, cut the broccoli into 1-inch florets and chop the carrots into bite-sized pieces.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing to create your sauce base—set aside 1/3 cup for marinating the chicken and reserve the remaining sauce for serving.

In another small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper to create your spice blend.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken

• 1.25 lb chicken tenderloins
• 1/3 cup balsamic-dressing sauce from Step 1

Pat the chicken tenderloins dry with paper towels, then cut them into small strips (about 2-3 inches long).

Place the chicken strips in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the reserved 1/3 cup balsamic-dressing sauce over them.

Toss gently to coat evenly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

This marinating time allows the flavors to penetrate the chicken while you prepare and roast the vegetables.

Step 3: Roast the Vegetables

• prepared broccoli and carrots from Step 1
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• spice blend from Step 1

Spread the chopped broccoli and carrots on your prepared sheet pan in a single layer.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the spice blend from Step 1 evenly over the vegetables, then toss to coat thoroughly.

Roast in the preheated 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables begin to soften and show light browning on the edges.

I like to give them a good toss at the halfway point to ensure even cooking and better caramelization.

Step 4: Add the Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes

• roasted vegetables from Step 3
• marinated chicken from Step 2
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes
• remaining 1/3 cup balsamic-dressing sauce

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and carefully push the roasted vegetables to the sides of the pan, creating a clear center space.

Arrange the marinated chicken strips in a single layer in the center of the pan, then scatter the cherry tomatoes around and over everything.

Drizzle the remaining 1/3 cup balsamic sauce over the chicken (reserve any extra for serving), making sure each piece gets some of the glaze.

Step 5: Finish Cooking and Garnish

• assembled pan from Step 4
• fresh parsley for garnish

Return the pan to the 400°F oven and bake for 7-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken strips, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center (internal temperature should reach 165°F).

The exact time depends on how thin you cut your chicken—thinner strips will finish faster.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes, then garnish generously with fresh parsley and serve directly from the pan with any reserved sauce on the side for drizzling.

Simple One Pan Balsamic Chicken

Delicious Simple One Pan Balsamic Chicken recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 775 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the marinade and glaze::

• 8 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 0.4 cup Italian dressing

For the chicken::

• 1.25 lb chicken tenderloins
• cooking spray

For the vegetables::

• 2 heads broccoli (cut into 1-inch florets to ensure even roasting)
• 1 cup carrots
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
• salt
• pepper

For the garnish::

• fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly coat a large sheet pan (approximately 18x13 inches) with cooking spray. While the oven heats, cut the broccoli into 1-inch florets and chop the carrots into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing to create your sauce base—set aside 1/3 cup for marinating the chicken and reserve the remaining sauce for serving. In another small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper to create your spice blend.
• Pat the chicken tenderloins dry with paper towels, then cut them into small strips (about 2-3 inches long). Place the chicken strips in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the reserved 1/3 cup balsamic-dressing sauce over them. Toss gently to coat evenly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. This marinating time allows the flavors to penetrate the chicken while you prepare and roast the vegetables.
• Spread the chopped broccoli and carrots on your prepared sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the spice blend from Step 1 evenly over the vegetables, then toss to coat thoroughly. Roast in the preheated 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables begin to soften and show light browning on the edges. I like to give them a good toss at the halfway point to ensure even cooking and better caramelization.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven and carefully push the roasted vegetables to the sides of the pan, creating a clear center space. Arrange the marinated chicken strips in a single layer in the center of the pan, then scatter the cherry tomatoes around and over everything. Drizzle the remaining 1/3 cup balsamic sauce over the chicken (reserve any extra for serving), making sure each piece gets some of the glaze.
• Return the pan to the 400°F oven and bake for 7-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken strips, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center (internal temperature should reach 165°F). The exact time depends on how thin you cut your chicken—thinner strips will finish faster. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes, then garnish generously with fresh parsley and serve directly from the pan with any reserved sauce on the side for drizzling.