Sheet Pan Chicken and Asparagus {Whole30 Recipe}

Name: Sheet Pan Chicken and Asparagus {Whole30 Recipe}
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 4 cloves garlic minced; 1 tsp dried (or fresh) parsley; 1/2 tsp dried rosemary; 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper; 1 cup baby potatoes, sliced in half; 4 chicken cutlets (or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise); 1 bunch asparagus

This Sheet Pan Chicken and Asparagus recipe is great for meal prep. It’s Whole30 approved and is ready in less than 30 minutes!

baby potatoes, chicken and asparagus on a sheet pan

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil – use any neutral oil in place of olive oil. Canola oil, grape seed oil or avocado oil can be used.
Lemon juice – use fresh or bottled lemon juice in this recipe or lime juice if you’re in a pinch.
Garlic – use fresh or jarred minced garlic. Garlic powder would also work.
Parsley – dried or fresh parsley is best, but cilantro is the next best substitute.
Rosemary – thyme, oregano or another herb of choice would all work here.
Baby potatoes – any variation of baby potatoes will work. You can also dice a bigger potato of choice into smaller pieces.
Chicken cutlets – use chicken breasts that have been finely cut into half or chicken thighs if you prefer a juicier cut of meat.
Asparagus – use any root vegetable or green of your choice.
Salt & pepper – to taste.

How to make this recipe

Steps 1 and 2 for making sheet pan asparagus chicken: Make lemon mixture and cook potatoes and chicken.

Step 1: Make the lemon mixture.

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and rosemary together.

Step 2: Bake the baby potatoes and chicken.

Add baby potatoes and chicken to a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss with lemon mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.

Steps 3 and 4 for making sheet pan chicken and asparagus: Bake asparagus then serve and enjoy.

Step 3: Add asparagus to the pan then bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim ends of asparagus. When chicken and potatoes come out at the 15 minute mark, add asparagus to the pan and bake the chicken, potatoes and asparagus altogether for 8-10 minutes until tender.

Step 4: Serve and enjoy!

Chicken can be sliced and everything can be divided among meal prep bowls.

What type of chicken and asparagus should I use?

If you want this sheet pan chicken and asparagus to be as healthy as possible, I recommend using chicken breasts. That being said, any type of boneless, skinless chicken can be used to make this recipe. When choosing what type of asparagus to use, green, purple and white asparagus are all great choices.

If you're on a Whole30 diet, you may want to stay clear of purple asparagus. Although it has a deliciously sweet and fruity flavour, purple asparagus has a higher sugar content than white and green asparagus.

Regardless of the colour, when you’re baking asparagus with chicken, make sure to choose asparagus stalks that are medium in width. If the stalks are too thick, the asparagus may not completely cook through. If they’re too thin, they may overcook, becoming mushy and stringy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sheet pan dinner?

Sheet pan dinners like this sheet pan chicken and asparagus are my go-to when I’m looking for something quick and easy. Everything is cooked together on one sheet pan, which means that you’ll save time on cooking and you’ll only have one dish to clean up afterwards. It’s a win-win!

How do you prepare and eat asparagus?

The thick woody ends of asparagus stalks should be removed before baking asparagus with chicken. This is done in one of two simple ways: snapping or cutting. Snapping the ends off is easy enough, but more than likely, you’ll lose some of the useable parts. I like to use a knife for the job. Just trim about 1-inch off of the bottom of each of the asparagus spears.

What temperature should you bake the chicken at?

For this baked chicken and asparagus recipe, you bake the chicken and asparagus together at 425° Fahrenheit.

Do you have to peel asparagus before cooking it?

Whether or not you peel asparagus stalks depends upon their thickness. Generally, the larger the stalks of asparagus are, the thicker the peel will be. For the most part, asparagus that is less than ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick won’t need to be peeled. If the asparagus does need to be peeled, a vegetable peeler will do the trick, or just use a paring knife. Some people like to cut their asparagus into bite-sized pieces to save time on prep and cook time, but I prefer to just trim the ends.

Storing and reheating

This sheet pan chicken and asparagus works beautifully as leftovers and is perfect for weekly meal prep lunch and dinners.

Before refrigerating the dish, be sure that it has cooled to room temperature and then place in glass meal prep containers. I prefer glass meal prep containers because they are already microwave-safe so it's just a matter of removing it from the fridge, taking off the lid and popping into the microwave for 2 minutes or until fully warmed.

When reheating in the microwave, make sure to sprinkle some water over top of the chicken so that it doesn't dry out! They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days so they are perfect for your weekly meal prep.

Freezing this recipe

Feel free to freeze this baked chicken and asparagus in batches if you wish, but I recommend making it fresh and sticking to storing this recipe in the fridge. The asparagus and potatoes may lose their texture after defrosting. That being said, any leftover chicken will freeze really well.

To freeze cooked chicken, be sure to allow it time to cool down before transferring it to freezer-safe storage bags or containers. Once frozen, the chicken will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and then microwave for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle some water over top the chicken to ensure it doesn't dry out or have that leftover chicken taste.

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