Sesame Free Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots
Sheet-pan dinners are weeknight heroes, and this one earns its place at the top of the rotation. The real star is the homemade walnut pesto — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and a bright hit of lemon juice blitzed together into a thick, fragrant paste that clings to the chicken as it roasts. Broccoli florets and sweet carrot coins share the pan, picking up caramelized edges and soaking in all those herby drippings while everything cooks together. For anyone navigating sesame sensitivities, this recipe is a genuinely clean option — every ingredient is straightforward, with no tahini, sesame oil, or hidden sesame-based sauces anywhere in sight. Store-bought pestos and marinades can be surprisingly tricky to vet, so making your own from scratch here is both safer and honestly more delicious. The whole thing comes together on a single pan with minimal cleanup, and the result looks and tastes like something you'd order at a nice restaurant. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a few torn basil leaves, and dinner is done.
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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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