Cumin Chicken and Carrots Sheet Pan

Sheet pan dinners are the best! This Cajun Honey Butter Chicken version makes a very regular appearance in our house.

Minimal dishes, quick prep, little hands on cooking- what's not to love? And this Cumin Chicken with Carrots and Onions is my latest favourite!

Cumin seasoned bites of chicken are tossed with carrots and onions and topped with a touch of lemon and maple. This meal pops with flavour!

The Ingredients

• Chicken- I typically use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but boneless skinless chicken thighs work as well. I like to dice the chicken up into small chunks so that it is mixed into the vegetables and well coated with the seasoning. However, you can leave it whole or cut it into larger chunks (like in this Cajun Chicken Sheet Pan!). It may end up needing to cook for a slightly longer time.
• Carrots- You need about 3 large carrots. They can be left unpeeled or peeled depending on your preference.
• Yellow Onions- Red or white onions would also work.
• Olive Oil- Avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil also works.
• Maple Syrup- Honey also works but adds a slightly different flavour (still delicious though!). For more alternatives, see this post on maple syrup substitutes.
• Fine Sea Salt
• Cumin
• Garlic- You can use 2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
• Cayenne Pepper
• Lemon Juice- This adds a pop of freshness! It can be left out or you could substitute with orange juice.

The Method

1. Mix vegetables, chicken and seasonings. In large bowl, combine vegetables, chicken and seasonings and mix until evenly coated. Spread vegetables and chicken into a single layer on a prepared sheet pan.

2. Bake. Roast the vegetables and chicken at 400 F for 25-35 minutes. Stir halfway through and rotate pan. The chicken should be cooked through to 165 F and the vegetables should be crisp-tender.

3. Serve.

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Store leftover Cumin Chicken Sheet Pan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.

Make it Your Own

Feel free to change up the vegetables or add more! Some ideas:

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Bell Peppers
• Chickpeas

Notes for Substitutions:

• Ensure you cut the vegetables to a similar size as the carrots to ensure that they take about the same amount of time to cook.

Notes for Adding:

• You may need to split the ingredients up between two separate sheet pans depending on how much you add. Ideally, you want the vegetables to be in a single layer. Cook one sheet pan on the bottom rack and one on the top and then switch their positions halfway through when you remove them to stir.
• Depending on how many vegetables you add, you may want to add more seasoning. I would add the following for every 2 cups added:
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Serving Ideas

You can serve this sheet pan all on its own as a meal or:

• Have it on top of:
  • Rice- I like to make 1-2 cups of long grain brown rice and mix the sheet pan right into it with an extra splash of lemon juice.
  • Quinoa
  • Farro
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Mashed cauliflower
  • A bed of greens
• Top it with:
  • Fresh chopped herbs such as parsley or chives
  • Toasted nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios
  • Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
• Serve it with:
  • Honey Oat Bread
• Make it into a side dish! Omit the chicken if preferred and add 2-3 additional cups of vegetables.

Tips and Tricks

This recipe is written for the vegetables to turn out crisp-tender. If you would like more tender vegetables, but want to avoid drying out the chicken, you have a few options:

• You can cook the vegetables and chicken on separate sheet pans. Cook the vegetable sheet pan for 10 minutes before adding the chicken sheet pan.
• You can leave the chicken in whole breasts.
• You can cut the vegetables smaller.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Cajun Chicken Sheet Pan (With Honey Butter)
• Bruschetta Chicken Sheet Pan
• Sheet Pan Hash
• Maple Dijon Pork Chops and Roasted Vegetables (One Pan)

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