BHA & BHT Free Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots
Sheet-pan dinners are already a weeknight hero, but this one earns extra points for how vibrant and wholesome every component feels. The star is a homemade walnut pesto blitzed together from fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — no jarred shortcuts, no preservatives, no mystery additives hiding in the fine print. That matters a lot when you're avoiding synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT, which sneak into a surprising number of packaged sauces, seasoning blends, and even some cooking oils. Here, every single ingredient is whole and recognizable, so you know exactly what's going on the pan. The pesto gets pressed right onto the chicken breasts before roasting, forming a fragrant, slightly golden crust while the broccoli florets and carrot coins caramelize around them at 425°F. A final squeeze of lemon and a scatter of torn fresh basil pull everything together into something that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort involved. It's the kind of clean, colorful dinner that makes you genuinely excited to eat well.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the walnut pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the sheet pan
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch coins
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- lemon wedges (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- 2
Make the pesto: combine the basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse 6–8 times until coarsely chopped, then stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil with the motor running and process until a thick, slightly chunky paste forms, about 30 seconds.
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