Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Sheet pan chicken panzanella is a mealworthy twist on the classic Italian bread salad. Juicy roasted chicken, caramelized vegetables, and crispy golden bread all come together in one pan for an easy, flavor-packed dinner.
How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: rimmed sheet pan (about 18 x 13 inches), mixing bowl
Servings: 4
You’ve Never Had Panzanella Like This!
Okay, before you come at me with torches and pitchforks, I know calling this recipe “panzanella” is a bit of a stretch. But let’s embrace a little whimsy. I love panzanella, and I love creating sheet pan dinners, so I really wanted to create a mash-up of the two.
And the result was delicious!
I could definitely make a meal out of traditional panzanella, but without protein, I’m left hungry a few hours later. This sheet pan panzanella takes care of that issue since it has chicken to make it satisfying!
What makes it special:
- Crispy golden bread: If you always go heavy on the croutons when you make a salad, then panzanella is for you, my friend! The bread toasts in the oven soaking up the flavor from the roasted veggies and red wine vinegar.
- Fresh flavors: A tangy dressing, jammy roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs make this sheet pan dinner a fantastic summer meal.
- One pan meal: Like my roasted romaine sheet pan dinner, this entire recipe cooks on the same sheet pan, saving you from having to clean a sink full of dishes after dinner.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here’s what you’ll need and why it works.
- Chicken thighs: Juicier and more forgiving than chicken breasts, I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. If you prefer chicken breasts, just keep in mind that they take slightly less time to cook.
- Summer veggies: Cherry or grape tomatoes soften and release juices that flavor the whole dish. Zucchini or yellow squash, so plentiful in the summer, have a mild flavor and are interchangeable. Red onions get mellow and sweeter, with crisp edges, when they’re roasted. So good!
- Day-old bread: Slightly stale bread works best because it crisps up nicely. Sourdough, ciabatta, or a baguette are great choices, and this “salad” is also a great way to use leftover focaccia!
- Olive oil and seasonings: The chicken, vegetables, and bread are seasoned with dried oregano, salt, and pepper, and lightly tossed with olive oil. The oil adds flavor and helps everything brown nicely.
- Red wine vinegar: A splash of red wine vinegar which is tangy with a slightly sweet undertone, brightens up the flavor of the roasted veggies. Mixed with the juices on the pan, it forms the dressing of this sheet pan panzanella.
- Fresh basil or parsley: A handful of freshly chopped herbs adds fresh flavor and color.
- Shaved Parmesan: The cheese is optional, but I highly recommend it! It adds a salty, nutty finish.
My Favorite Sheet Pans
I use these for everything! I have four of them and they’re in constant rotation from my oven to my sink to my cupboard.
How to Make Sheet pan Chicken Panzanella
Preheat the oven and prep ingredients. Preheat your oven to 425°F. It’s important that the oven is preheated so the veggies cook evenly and quickly. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Slice the onion into wedges and the zucchini into half-moons so everything cooks evenly. You can leave the cherry tomatoes whole but be sure to give them a good rinse.
Season the chicken and veggies. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, onion, and zucchini. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss until everything is well coated, then spread it out on the sheet pan in an even layer.
Cook. Roast for 18 minutes.
Add the bread. While the chicken and vegetables are roasting, cut the bread into cubes and toss it with olive oil and a pinch of salt. After the initial roasting time, remove the pan, stir, and spread everything out again. Scatter the bread cubes over the top. Continue roasting until the bread is golden and crisp and the chicken is fully cooked.
Finish and serve. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and gently toss so the bread absorbs some of the juices but stays crisp. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan, if you’re using it, and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the veggies. Instead of zucchini, add a small cubed eggplant. Add a little extra oil because the eggplant will soak it up like a sponge!
- Make it meatless. For a vegetarian take on this sheet pan panzanella, substitute chickpeas for the chicken. Another option is to scatter mozzarella pearls over the chicken, vegetables, and bread immediately after removing the pan from the oven, before you drizzle on the vinegar.
- Use a different dressing. Classic panzanella salads are usually dressed with red wine vinegar but if you want to add a little more zest, substitute Italian dressing or red wine vinaigrette for the vinegar. Sometimes I spoon a drizzle of my homemade basil pesto over the sheet pan panzanella before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad. Since panzanella salads often include cucumbers, this cucumber salad or cucumber tomato salad would go perfectly with sheet pan panzanella.
- Pasta. This sheet pan chicken panzanella really is a meal on its own but if you want to pair it with a pasta dish, I’d recommend something light and uncomplicated like fresh tomato pasta.
- Cocktail. Try one of my easy summer cocktail recipes to go along with your summer dinner. An aperol spritz would be my first choice!
- Dessert. For a sweet finish, try a berry galette since you’ll have the oven on. Kool-Aid pie is refreshing and easy to make. If you’re craving chocolate, try homemade chocolate ice cream (it’s a no-churn recipe!).
Refrigerator: Sheet pan chicken panzanella is definitely best eaten immediately but you can store leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Warm in the microwave or in the oven until heated through. The bread will soften and become a bit chewy but the flavor will still be great.
More Sheet Pan Dinner Recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken Panzanella
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 small red onion (or ½ a large onion)
- 1 medium zucchini (8 to 9 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 3 cups cubed sourdough bread, ciabatta or baguette (day old bread is best, see note)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
- shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a large rimmed sheet pan (13 x 18 inches) lightly with olive oil.
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, as evenly as possible. Slice the onion into ½- inch wedges, and zucchini into ½-inch half-moons.1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 small red onion , 1 medium zucchini
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken, tomatoes, onion and zucchini with 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until well coated. Add to prepared pan and spread into an even layer.1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Roast the chicken and vegetables for 18 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. In a clean bowl, toss the bread cubes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt.3 cups cubed sourdough bread, ciabatta or baguette
- After the chicken and vegetables have cooked for 18 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir. Arrange the chicken and vegetables into an even layer and scatter the bread cubes evenly over the top.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast 10 to 13 minutes more, until the bread is golden and crisp, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle/sprinkle with the red wine vinegar. Gently toss everything together so the bread absorbs some of the pan juices but stays crisp. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan if using, then serve warm straight from the pan.1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
Notes
- Chicken: If you prefer white meat, boneless skinless chicken breasts can be substituted. White meal cooks a little more quickly than dark meat so you may want to reduce the first baking time slightly or cut the chicken into larger pieces so it doesn’t get overdone.
- Bread: The bread gets crispier if it’s slightly dry, or day old. If your bread is fresh, cut it an hour or so ahead of time and let it dry out a bit. I recommend sourdough, ciabatta, a baguette, or focaccia. Look for bread that has a hearty, somewhat airy structure, not a soft sandwich-type of bread.
- Storage: This meal is best eaten right away. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them for up to 3 days in a covered container. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. The bread will get a little soggy and a bit more chewy but the flavor is still excellent.
- Panzanella salad: This sheet pan dinner is a spin-off from the classic Italian bread salad. If you’d rather have a salad, be sure to try my classic panzanella salad recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
