Pregnancy Friendly Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots

Total time45 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time30 min

Pregnancy Friendly Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots

Sheet-pan dinners are a weeknight lifesaver, and this one delivers serious flavor with ingredients that genuinely pull their weight during pregnancy. The homemade walnut pesto is the star — blended from fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, it coats each chicken breast in a thick, herbaceous crust that roasts up beautifully in a hot oven. Walnuts are a fantastic plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, making them a smart addition when you're thinking carefully about what goes on your plate. Chicken cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F means no guesswork, and the recipe even calls for an instant-read thermometer to confirm it — exactly the kind of reassurance that matters right now. Broccoli and carrots round out the pan with folate, fiber, and beta-carotene, so you're getting a genuinely nourishing plate without any extra effort. Everything comes together on a single pan with minimal cleanup, which is a very real win when energy isn't always on your side. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens the whole dish and makes it feel restaurant-worthy straight from your own kitchen.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the walnut pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup raw walnuts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Private Selection Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bertolli Extra Virgin D'Italiia Olive Oil 16.9oz
Extra Virgin Olive Oil FIELD DAY OLIVE OIL EXTRA VIRGIN Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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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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