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This Honey Garlic Baked Chicken and Cauliflower recipe is one of the easiest and tastiest meal prep recipes! It’s also perfect to whip up on a busy weeknight – the whole meal only takes 35 minutes!
About This Recipe
I love a good sheet pan chicken recipe! Easy sheet pan dinners and meal prep recipes save lives. Really! Life is busy and I’ll be the first to tell you, it’s not necessary to spend an hour in the kitchen every night to eat healthy. Simon and I are quite busy over here and we are all about easy recipes!
That’s why I created this baked chicken and cauliflower recipe. Whether you are looking to prep some chicken and veggies to have for lunches throughout the week or need a quick weeknight meal option, this recipe is such a great option!
Let’s start with the fact that these bowls are incredibly delicious. Honey and garlic are an absolute match made in heaven, and chicken and cauliflower are a close second!
And if that doesn’t do it for you, everything is cooked in the oven for just 30 minutes. That’s it! You could go read a chapter of your book in the mean time. Vacuum the house. Whatever you wish you had 30 extra minutes in the day for!
All you need to do for this delicious recipe is prep the chicken and cauliflower! Then, mix the dry rub ingredients together. And you can do that in a solid 10 minutes! It’s such an easy dinner!
This recipe is also gluten-free and dairy-free as written. To make it vegetarian, swap chicken for your favorite plant-based protein. To make it vegan, swap chicken for your favorite plant-based protein and use a vegan honey.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Baked Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe
- Honey and garlic are such a delicious flavor combination.
- The chicken and tender cauliflower florets are roasted to absolute perfection!
- Simple steps, quick to make, and easy to store = PERFECT for meal prep.
- Prep the ingredients in just 10 minutes!
- Made with pantry staples.
- A great way to incorporate more veggies into your diet!
- Full of protein and low carb for a macro-balanced meal!
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breast. You want to make sure your chicken is nice and thin. This will help ensure it cooks evenly and stays juicy! You could also use chicken thighs here.
- Cauliflower – I used fresh cauliflower. This has such great flavor with the honey garlic sauce! Plus cauliflower is a great source of insoluble fiber to keep things moving!
- Olive oil – A healthy fat like olive oil will help keep our protein nice and juicy. Using even just a little bit of olive oil prevents our ingredients some sticking to the pan as well!
- Honey – You will be blown away by how the flavor of the honey develops in this recipe!
- Avocado – The creaminess fits in so perfectly with the other ingredients and textures in this bowl.
- Greens of choice – Try arugula, romaine, or iceberg lettuce. You could even put the filling into lettuce cups if you wish!
- Seasonings – Grab some salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Garlic – So so so good with the honey! I used minced garlic, but you could use garlic powder if desired.
- Sweetener – I used Swerve. You can use any sweetener of choice here!
This dish is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Equipment Needed
How To Make
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Time Saving Tips
- Buy your cauliflower already cut into florets instead of buying the whole head of cauliflower.
- Cut your cauliflower into florets when you have 10 minutes the day before.
- Purchase already flattened skinless chicken breasts to skip the pounding and cutting necessary for juicy chicken.
Tips For the Best Juicy Chicken Breast
- Use a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish for the chicken if possible. The chicken will release some of its natural juices.
- If your chicken breasts are too thick in certain areas, pound the chicken to even thickness. An easy way to do this is with a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure they bake evenly.
- If chicken is more than an inch thick, go ahead and slice in half lengthwise so it is thinner. Thicker chicken is harder to keep juicy because it has to bake longer to cook all the way through.
- Pat the chicken dry very well before adding the olive oil and spices.
- Don’t skip the oil. Chicken breasts are a very lean protein and they need some fat to keep the chicken juicy.
- Season the chicken generously on both sides. You can add more seasoning if you wish!
- Do not overcook or the chicken will get dry! Watch closely at the end. Always check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer Chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After removing the chicken from the oven let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. Do not skip this step!
Can I freeze baked chicken breast?
Yes. make sure the chicken cools completely and then store it in a freezer safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.
How long do chicken breasts need to bake for?
Timing is SUPER IMPORTANT when baking boneless and skinless chicken breast. Chicken breast is a lean protein and tends to dry if baked for too long or at the wrong temperature. Baking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. A medium size chicken breast (5 to 6 oz, takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to bake in a 400 degree oven. Check closely at the end with an instant thermometer. I always bake chicken breasts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit as the high temperature helps seal in the juices (and the flavor).
Why do you suggest using thin chicken breast?
The thinner the breast, the more even it will cook and the juicier it will be! This will give you the best tasting chicken in your meal.
More Easy Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
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Honey Garlic Baked Chicken and Cauliflower Meal Prep (Sheet Pan)
Ingredients
- 2 lb. boneless chicken breasts
- 36- oz. cauliflower florets (1080g) about 2 small heads
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (30g) divided
- 2 Tbsp honey (42g)
- Avocado slices for topping
- Side of greens for serving
Dry Rub:
- 1.5 Tbsp salt
- 1.5 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1.5 Tbsp garlic
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar or sweetener of choice (18g) I used Swerve
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Use a rimmed baking sheet for the chicken if possible.
- Add the dry rub spices to a bowl and mix together well.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and add to the baking sheet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of olive oil over the chicken. Rub the oil all over each chicken breast. Season the chicken with the HALF of the dry rub on both sides.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the other baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Spray over top with cooking spray (this helps the oil spread farther). Toss to disperse the oil then add the remaining HALF of the dry rub. Toss to evenly coat.
- Add both sheets to the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the chicken and check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Time will vary depending on the size and thickness of each breast but we don’t want to overcook it! When chicken is done, position all the drizzle the honey all over the chicken.
- Continue to cook the cauliflower for another 10 minutes or until roasted to liking.
- Serve roasted chicken and cauliflower with a side salad and sliced avocado, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish for the chicken if possible. The chicken will release some of its natural juices.
- If your chicken breasts are too thick in certain areas, pound the chicken to even thickness. An easy way to do this is with a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure they bake evenly.
- If chicken is more than an inch thick, go ahead and slice in half lengthwise so it is thinner. Thicker chicken is harder to keep juicy because it has to bake longer to cook all the way through.
- Pat the chicken dry very well before adding the olive oil and spices.
- Don’t skip the oil. Chicken breasts are a very lean protein and they need some fat to keep the chicken juicy.
- Season the chicken generously on both sides. You can add more seasoning if you wish!
- Do not overcook or the chicken will get dry! Watch closely at the end. Always check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer Chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After removing the chicken from the oven let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. Do not skip this step!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
