Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini pairs crispy Parmesan chicken tenders with seasoned zucchini, all cooked on one pan. Don’t skip the easy 3-ingredient dipping sauce!
author’s note
Crispy Chicken + BBQ Mustard = Game Over!
I love a good sheet pan meal, and I’ve made plenty over the years. This one came together when my garden zucchini was going wild, and I needed something quick to use it up. I threw a few things together, and it ended up being one of those meals I couldn’t stop thinking about.
The chicken is super crispy, the zucchini has this cheesy, crunchy coating, and the dipping sauce brings it all home. It’s a sweet honey BBQ mustard situation that somehow works with both, and it’s only three ingredients.
Ingredients
Full recipe is below but here are a few ingredients to talk about.
| Ingredient | Tip or Swap |
|---|---|
| Chicken tenderloins | Swap with chicken breasts sliced into strips (about 1¼-inch thick). |
| Parmesan cheese | Use freshly grated from a block for better flavor and texture. Avoid canned. |
| Panko breadcrumbs | Use gluten-free panko if needed. Toast them first for extra crispiness. |
| Zucchini | Use similarly sized pieces to ensure even roasting. Don’t overcrowd or it steams. |
| Coleslaw dressing | No coleslaw dressing? Use his homemade version. |
How To Make Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini
- Mix the seasoning blend and set aside 1 tablespoon for the zucchini.
- Prep chicken: Coat in batter and breading, then place on a greased cooling rack.
- Cut zucchini into wedges, toss with olive oil and reserved seasoning, and add to the sheet pan.
- Arrange everything: Position the cooling rack with chicken on the pan, spacing zucchini evenly around it.
- Bake 10 minutes, flip the chicken and toss zucchini, then bake 7–10 more minutes.
- Adjust if needed: If chicken is done but zucchini isn’t, remove the rack and roast zucchini a few extra minutes.
Quick Tip
Since cooking time can vary due to several factors, I always recommend using a digital meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken and remove any guesswork on your end. Once chicken registers 165 degrees F it is safe to consume.
How To Get Crispy Baked Chicken
Getting crispy chicken tenders without a deep fryer can be tricky, but these tips make all the difference:
- Use panko breadcrumbs for a lighter and crunchier coating than regular breadcrumbs.
- Add Parmesan to the breading because it crisps up nicely in the oven.
- Spray the chicken with cooking spray to help the coating crisp and prevent sticking.
- Bake on a wire rack placed over a sheet pan so heat circulates evenly and crisps all sides.
Quick Tip
If you prefer a homemade sauce, I include a similar sauce recipe in the notes section of this Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini recipe. It has five ingredients instead of three, but is still simple to make and very tasty!
Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini Recipe Tools
Here are the products I recommend for this recipe:
- Cooking spray. Spray the breaded chicken to get crisp, even browning.
- 15×21-inch sheet pan. This size fits both the chicken and zucchini on one pan with a cooling rack. If you don’t have one, use two smaller pans.
- Metal Spatula. A metal spatula makes flipping the chicken and tossing veggies quick and easy.
- Cooling racks. Bake the chicken on an oven-safe cooling rack that fits your pan.
Storage
Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini Storage
This recipe is best enjoyed fresh, as the tenders lose their crispiness when stored. I recommend making only what you’ll eat that day.
If prepping ahead, wait to coat the chicken in the panko-Parmesan mixture until just before baking. Otherwise, the breading gets soft and won’t bake up as crispy.
More One-Pan Dinner Recipes:
Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini
Equipment
- Cooling rack see note 1
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21") 15 x 21-inch
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins see note 2
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 to 3 small-to-medium zucchini about 13 ounces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese divided, see note 3
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup prepared coleslaw dressing
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey BBQ sauce I like Sweet Baby Ray’s
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Take out both a large (15×21-inch) sheet pan and an oven-safe wire cooling rack (see note 1). Generously spray the cooling rack with cooking spray and set aside. Toss together all the spices. Remove 1 tablespoon of spices and set aside. Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towel and trim any fat and remove tendons. Add 1 cup (70g) Parmesan and panko to a shallow bowl. Toss to combine and set aside.
- In another bowl, add mayo, flour, egg, mustard, and remaining spices to a large, shallow bowl. Whisk to combine. Using tongs, add a chicken tender to the batter. Generously dredge and evenly coat all sides. Repeat to dredge all the tenders in the batter. Tenders should be well-coated and use up the batter.
- Next, dredge each tender in the Parmesan and panko mixture. Again, coat tenders generously. (You should use most of the breading.) Place breaded chicken tenders on top of the sprayed cooling rack. Press any leftover breading on top of chicken tenders and generously spray the tenders with cooking spray on 1 side.
- Cut zucchini into 3-inch coins. Cut each coin in half, then in wedges to get 4–6 wedges (depending on how wide the zucchini is). Place zucchini wedges on the sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and 1 tablespoon spice. Toss with your hands to generously coat and move zucchini to make room for the cooling rack with the chicken. Once the cooling rack is on the tray, position zucchini evenly around the cooling rack, making sure zucchini has plenty of room to roast. (If zucchini is overlapping, it will steam and take longer to cook.)
- Place sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and carefully flip the tenders. Generously spray with cooking spray and bake another 5–10 minutes or until chicken registers 160°F on a food thermometer (carryover heat will bring it to 165°F). Make sure zucchini is crisp-tender as well. Remove from oven and taste. Add a light sprinkle of salt on top of the tenders if needed to make the flavors come alive.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Remove the cooling rack with chicken on top and add remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan to the zucchini. Toss the zucchini with the Parmesan and any panko breading that fell on the tray. Serve zucchini with chicken and dipping sauce.
Video
Recipe Notes
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Best Foods/Hellman’s Regular Mayo
- 1-1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon honey BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Chelsea! With a busy household, I am always looking for recipes I can prep the night before so they’re ready (for my husband) to pop into the oven or onto the stovetop when he gets home with the littles. Could we do that with this recipe? Which of your recipes might you recommend??
Totally get that! 🙂 Unfortunately this recipe isn’t a great candidate for being made ahead because it gets soggy. Here are some great make ahead recipes: Crockpot Chili, Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Divan, Chicken Curry, Cheese Stuffed Meatballs Hope those help! Email if you’d like some more ideas 🙂