Sheet Pan Encrusted Chicken

Sheet pan meals are becoming more frequent at our house. They are easy to assemble and quick to cleanup because all the cooking happens on…you guessed it…a sheet pan. We have a 2-person household as well, so the sheet pan meals are often enough to have for 2 meals. Depending on how busy we are during the week, this is either 2 dinners or 1 dinner and 1 lunch for us. The combinations are endless as well! We primarily make chicken with a vegetable on the side, but you could try turkey breasts, pork chops, etc. with any vegetable (or vegetables) of your choosing.

My favorite recipe is for Sheet Pan Pretzel Encrusted Honey Mustard Chicken with Potatoes. I think coating to the chicken adds a fun element to the dish because you had added texture and flavor instead of just plain chicken. So, you get tender chicken in each bite with a little crunch. The combination of pretzels and chicken just goes well together! You dredge the chicken in a mixture of egg and honey mustard sauce, and this is what helps the pretzels stick to the chicken. The honey mustard sauce is also used for dipping and adds a sweet yet tangy flavor.

The recipe can be found here.

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If you do not have non-stick foil, lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

Next, make the honey mustard sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, honey, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce. Whisk until well combined and set aside.

Remove ¼ cup of the honey mustard mixture to a shallow bowl. Add one egg and whisk to combine. This will be the egg wash mixture used to coat the chicken. Set aside.

Prepare the oven roasted potatoes. In a large mixing bowl, add the potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp of the honey mustard sauce. Toss to combine and coat the potatoes. Pour the potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes bake, prepare the chicken. Add the pretzels to a Ziploc bag. Place the bag on top of a towel and use a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or hammer to crush the pretzels into fine pieces. The towel will prevent the bag from ripping open and help absorb some of the shock to your counter as you pound the pretzels! I like to have some larger chunks of pretzels in my coating, but you can grind the pretzels into a breadcrumb consistency, if you prefer.

Pour the pretzel pieces into a shallow dish. Add the parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Dip each chicken tender in the egg wash mixture, then into the pretzel mixture, making sure to press down and fully coat each side. Set aside and repeat until all chicken tenders have been coated.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and push to one side of the baking sheet, in an even layer. Add the chicken, in a single layer, on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You should be able to easily pierce the potatoes with a fork to know they are done.

Remove the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter and serve warm with the remaining honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!

The recipe can be found here.

The other recipe I like to make is for Sheet Pan Everything Bagel Encrusted Chicken with Asparagus. I personally think everything bagel seasoning can be put on anything. It just that good! And it’s easy to make at home with ingredients in your spice cabinet or you can purchase store bought. The mixture contains a blend of black and/or white sesame seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, sea salt flakes, and poppy seeds. The coating adds a nice salty yet savory flavor to the chicken.

The recipe can be found here.

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If you do not have non-stick foil, lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

Next, make the maple mustard sauce. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, sriracha, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. I like a slightly sweeter sauce, so I tend to add a touch more of maple syrup. Set aside.

Wash and trim the asparagus, then place in an even layer on one side of the baking sheet. Spritz with cooking spray.

Make the everything bagel seasoning. In a shallow bowl, add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced onion, dried minced garlic, and salt. Stir to combine. You can also use store bought seasoning if you prefer.

Sprinkle a small amount of the everything bagel seasoning over the top of the asparagus (optional).

Add the breadcrumbs to the everything bagel seasoning and stir to combine.

Add the egg to a small bowl with 1-2 Tbsp water and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Dip each chicken tender/strip in the egg wash mixture, then in the everything bagel seasoning mixture, making sure to press down to coat each side. Set aside and repeat until all chicken tenders/strips are coated.

Place the chicken in a single layer on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The asparagus should be soft and tender.