Honey Free Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots
This sheet-pan dinner is the kind of weeknight meal that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. The star is a bright, herbaceous walnut pesto made entirely from scratch — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blitzed together into a thick, chunky paste that gets pressed right onto the chicken before it hits the oven. Broccoli florets and sweet carrot coins roast alongside until they're tender with those irresistible charred edges, making this a true one-pan situation with minimal cleanup. Many store-bought pestos and marinades sneak in sweeteners, so making your own from these straightforward ingredients means you stay completely in control of what goes into the dish. The lemon juice does a lot of heavy lifting here, adding brightness and balance without any need for a sweetener of any kind. A quick three-minute rest after roasting keeps the chicken juicy, and a squeeze of fresh lemon and torn basil at the table ties everything together beautifully. It's the kind of recipe you'll find yourself coming back to again and again.
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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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