This sheet pan balsamic chicken with rosemary and grapes is a delicious and easy one-pan meal that is perfect for busy weeknights!
Whenever I am pressed for time during the week, I rely on easy sheet pan meals to get dinner on the table in a flash! They are simple, no mess, impossible to mess up, and they save this mama a ton of time and energy in the kitchen.
You’re probably used to the simple veg and protein combo when preparing a sheet pan meal, but I am changing all the rules with this sheet pan balsamic chicken with rosemary and roasted GRAPES.
Roasted Grapes!? What the WHAT?
Since when do grapes belong in a savoury meal? Hear me out. The grapes get super caramelized and sweet, and impart a ton of sticky juice onto the sheet pan balsamic chicken. It’s so darn delish that I’ve started to incorporate roasted grapes into more recipes like these balsamic roasted Brussel sprouts. Who knew the humble little grape was so versatile?
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This sheet pan balsamic chicken ain’t your average chicken recipe! This recipe is easy enough as a weeknight family meal, and elevated enough for the holidays or entertaining guests. Here are a few more reasons why we love this recipe:
- Requires less than 10 ingredients
- Made in 35 minutes
- Protein packed
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Budget friendly
Key Ingredients
Grapes – Grapes are easily the star of the show in this sheet pan dinner. We prefer to use red grapes as they tend to yield a sweeter flavour than green grapes which are slightly more tart and sour.
Roasted Vegetables – It isn’t quite a sheet pan meal without at least some roasted caramelized veggies thrown in. The combination of roasted fennel, red onion, and whole garlic cloves is totally divine and adds tons of flavour to this recipe.
Chicken Breast – We use boneless chicken breast for this sheet pan recipe as it has a shorter cook time. However, this recipe is really versatile and you can easily swap in a different protein depending on what you have on hand. Chicken thighs, tofu steaks, and salmon would also work well with this recipe.
Balsamic Glaze – You can use a store-bought balsamic glaze for this recipe or you can make your own from scratch. I have a super easy two-ingredient recipe right here.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a skillet, season chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.
Step 2: Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, add the garlic, onion, fennel, grapes and rosemary to the pan and drizzle oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from the oven and top with the balsamic and return for an additional 5 minutes in the oven until the vegetables are very caramelized and the chicken reaches 165 F.
Expert Tips
This sheet pan balsamic chicken recipe is as simple as it gets! Even though browning the chicken makes it a two step meal, it can absolutely be a one-step sheet pan dinner if you’re in an even bigger rush. I just kinda like the added flavour that comes from browning the chicken first, but it certainly doesn’t make or break the recipe.
I would also suggest using a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked. We want to aim for an internal temperature of 165 F.
In addition, if you are REALLY pressed for time I would also suggest purchasing peeled garlic cloves instead of the whole bulb. You will easily be saving yourself 5 minutes of prep time. Plus I think we can all agree that peeling garlic is a pretty annoying step of any recipe, especially if you are peeling the whole clove.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe lasts in the fridge for around 3-5 days. You can reheat in the microwave and I usually like to add a bit more balsamic glaze on top as well.
If you want to keep things low carb you can pair this recipe with a side salad, otherwise I love to have this recipe on top of a bed of rice or quinoa with some greens on the side.
Instead of chicken breasts, you can totally use chicken thighs or a fatty fish like salmon or rainbow trout. If you wanted to make this recipe vegan, it would also be delicious with tofu.
More Recipes You Might Like
If you like this recipe, you might like:
- Vegan Chickpea and Cauliflower Sheet Pan Dinner
- Gluten Free Sticky Chicken Breasts Sheet Pan Dinner
- Chinese Five Spice Shrimp Stir Fry Sheet Pan Dinner
- Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Fingers Sheet Pan Dinner
What are your go-to sheet pan recipes for those busy weeknights?
Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken with Rosemary and Grapes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 ¼ lb skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 head garlic separated into cloves and peeled
- 1 red onion cut into wedges
- ½ head fennel sliced
- 2 cups red grapes
- 2 tbsp balsamic reduction
- 4 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, presentation side down until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the other side for just 2 minutes and then transfer to the baking sheet.
- Add the garlic, onion, fennel, grapes and rosemary to the pan and drizzle with the additional oil. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the balsamic and return for an additional 5 minutes in the oven until the vegetables are very caramelized and the chicken reaches 165 F.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this sheet pan balsamic chicken? Let me know down in the comments below!
Updated on May 10th, 2021
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Fernanda Sada says
Amazing recipe! The sweetness of the grapes goes amazing with the balsamic reduction and the flavor of the chicken.
Karen says
Made this tonight for my family and we loved it!! It was so delicious. I worried it would be too plain but I was so wrong! The compliment of the sweet with the savory is perfect. Always in need of a way to make chicken breast interesting and this is definitely it! Thank you!!
Abbey Sharp says
Yayyyyy so glad!!!! Lots of chicken breast recipes here bc I agree, we gotta make them not boring lol
Abbey Sharp says
totally!
Abbey Sharp says
So happy to hear! Thanks Karen 🙂
Natalie says
This sounds wonderful. Addition of grapes is such a surprise really. I must give this a try. We love having chicken for dinner and this is super easy.
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing! Enjoy 🙂
Kalee says
This is such a gorgeous dinner to serve, and I love that it’s a sheet pan recipe! It makes it so easy to throw together!
Abbey Sharp says
Totally. Thanks love