Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Chicken

Coated with a crispy parmesan crust and baked to perfection alongside fresh green beans, Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Chicken is the ultimate one-pan meal. This healthy recipe is easy to make, family friendly, and packed with incredible flavors.

To say I have a thing for one-pan meals would be a serious understatement. By cooking an entire meal on a single pan, I can cut down on both time and dirty dishes. It’s a win-win, what’s not to love?

This Lemon Pepper Chicken is made with a cheesy, seasoned breadcrumb mixture and baked in the oven with green beans for a complete meal. All you have to do is press your chicken breasts into a simple egg wash, coat them with the breadcrumb mixture, then bake them to crispy perfection.

I have made this dish for everything from family dinners to social gatherings and it has yet to let me down. It’s also incredible for meal prepping, so I like to make extras to serve as lunches throughout the week.

This dish is super easy to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. There are many, many evenings when I am beyond exhausted and cannot fathom the idea of spending an hour (or more) in the kitchen and using 5 different pots and pans. Enter: the sheet pan meal.

I could honestly go on for days about the superpower and secret weapon that is the sheet pan meal, but I think you get the gist of it. From Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken to Sheet Pan Pork Chops, there are endless varieties to choose from. Simply choose your protein and your favorite veggies, then get cooking!

Key Ingredients

To make this delicious healthy recipe, you will need the following key ingredients:

• Chicken cutlets: These are just thin chicken breasts. If you can’t find cutlets, you can buy regular boneless skinless chicken breasts and slice them in two through the middle to create your own cutlets.
• Panko breadcrumbs: This helps form the delicious crispy parmesan coating on top of the chicken cutlets. Regular breadcrumbs work fine, but I prefer to use Panko to get an extra crispy crust.
• Parmesan cheese: For the best results, grate your own parmesan at home. If this isn’t an option, you can buy grated parmesan or chop up shredded parmesan until it resembles the grated kind.
• Eggs: You will need to whisk these into an egg wash to ensure that the crispy parmesan coating sticks to the chicken cutlets.
• Green beans: If you want to swap this out for another veggie, some of my favorite choices include broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini.
• Lemon pepper: This seasoning mix is made with black pepper, salt, and lemon zest. You can make your own at home or use a store-bought mix. If you opt for the latter, make sure it uses real lemon zest and not extract or fake lemon flavor.

What is lemon pepper seasoning?

Lemon pepper seasoning is traditionally made with lemon zest, black pepper, and salt. Generally, there are two different types available in the grocery store- ones that use real lemon zest and ones that use lemon extract or "fake" lemon flavor. You want to look for one that uses real lemon zest otherwise, it can have a fake lemon flavor. Trader Joe's makes a good one that comes in a grinder.

Sheet Pan Chicken Cooking Tips

Here are some of my top tips to help you make this dish:

• For a stunning presentation, try garnishing with lemon slices and fresh parsley just before serving the dish.
• For extra flavor, marinate it in lemon juice and minced garlic before breading the chicken.
• If you’re looking for extra crispy chicken, add a tablespoon of olive oil or butter to the breadcrumb mixture before coating the chicken. Not only does it produce even crispier chicken, but it also adds rich and delicious flavor.
• For a keto-friendly version, swap out the Panko breadcrumbs for extra Parmesan cheese.
• Don’t have any green beans? No worries. You can swap this out for almost any other veggie you have at home. Some of my top picks include zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, and onions.

What to Serve With Lemon Pepper Chicken

While this recipe is a meal on all its own, sometimes I like to add an extra side to make it a larger meal. Since we’ve already got the protein and veggie components covered, you can add a healthy starch or grain. Here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with lemon pepper chicken:

• Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Carrots and Turnips
• Easy Roasted Potatoes
• Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Brown Rice

Storage and Leftovers

This dish can be stored together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It makes for a fantastic meal prep recipe, so I often like to make extra servings and store them in separate meal prep containers to enjoy as quick lunches throughout the week.

If you want to freeze this dish, I recommend storing the chicken separately from the green beans. When stored in separate airtight containers, the chicken will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months and the green beans will keep for up to 8 months.