Juicy Brown Sugar Chicken Breasts and Sweet Potatoes
I love sheet pan dinners because they’re easy, tasty, and ready in no time. This easy sheet pan recipe takes advantage of one of my favorite fall ingredients: sweet potatoes. However, I eat sweet potatoes year round, and I love them prepared in any way. Here they become lightly caramelized thanks to the brown sugar marinade from the chicken that runs off and clings to the sweet potatoes. They are literally finger-lickin’ good! I adapted the chicken concept from my Perfect 20-Minute Oven-Baked Chicken Breasts recipe. I also have a lime-cilantro version of this chicken. The brown sugar chicken is tender, juicy, moist, easy, ready in a half hour from start to finish, and best of all, made on one sheet pan. Cleanup is as easy as tossing away a sheet of foil. Chunky wedges of red onions roast alongside the sweet potatoes and chicken for an extra layer of flavor. They too become caramelized from the chicken marinade that runs off and coats them. Between all the spices and the brown sugar in the marinade, the range and layers of flavors is off the hook!
Ingredients for Sheet Pan Brown Sugar Chicken
For this easy brown sugar baked chicken dinner, you only need a few common pantry staples:
Sweet potatoes Olive oil Kosher salt and pepper Boneless skinless chicken breasts – if preferred, boneless skinless chicken thighs will also work. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed Brown sugar Chili powder Paprika Cumin Garlic powder Cayenne pepper, optional but recommended Fresh parsley or cilantro, optional for garnishing
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make This Sheet Pan Brown Sugar Chicken Recipe
Making baked chicken breast with brown sugar dry rub is quick and easy. Full instructions are provided in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview of the cooking process:
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