Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Vegetables (305 Calorie Dinner for Two)
This sheet pan BBQ chicken is juicy chicken thighs and sweet roasted butternut squash, zucchini and red onion, all cooked on one pan and finished under the broiler for crispy, caramelized edges.
Each plate has just 305 calories and 25 grams of protein with no added sugar, and it’s on the table in 30 minutes. It’s an easy, high volume dinner for two with almost no cleanup.
I guess I have a lot of requirements to my preferred weeknight meals. I want these dinners to not only be high in protein and healthy, but I also need them to be easy! Not because I don’t have time to cook, but most of the time because I don’t want to wait an hour for dinner!
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And this dish couldn’t be easier! I love that this meal is high volume and so filling. Roasting the veggies brings out the best of their flavors, and the BBQ chicken gets crispy and sticky in the last few minutes under the broiler.
Why You’ll Love This Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken
- One pan, almost no cleanup. Line the pan with foil or parchment and you’re done.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Five minutes of chopping, then the oven does the work.
- 305 calories per plate. A big, satisfying plate of food for a low calorie count.
- No added sugar. A sugar free BBQ sauce keeps the sugar to about 7 grams per plate, all from the vegetables.
- Sized for two. No leftovers you didn’t plan for, and easy to double for meal prep.
Ingredients for Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Vegetables
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Thighs stay juicier than breasts in a hot oven and get those crispy edges under the broiler. You’ll need about 8 ounces for two people.
- Sugar free BBQ sauce: I use G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce, which is only 10 calories per 2 tablespoons. Any BBQ sauce works, but regular sauce adds about 15 grams of sugar per plate.
- Butternut squash: I used these because I had a bag that I needed to use. Otherwise, I would have gone for potatoes! Both taste great. The Pre-cut butternut cubes save a lot of time, and the squash gets sweet and tender when it roasts.
- Zucchini and red onion: These add volume and color for very few calories.
- Olive oil, salt and garlic powder: That’s all the seasoning you need, since the BBQ sauce brings the flavor.
The full ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken
- Prep the pan and veggies. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan. Toss the squash, zucchini and onion with olive oil, salt and garlic powder and spread them in a single layer.
- Season and sauce the chicken. Pat the thighs dry, cut them into 1-inch chunks, season with salt and garlic powder, and toss with half the BBQ sauce. Add them to the pan (or a second small pan).
- Roast. Bake for 20 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Broil for crispy edges. Take the vegetables off the pan and keep them warm. Broil the chicken on high for 5 minutes, until the sauce caramelizes.
- Serve. Rest the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, then divide everything between 2 plates and serve with the rest of the BBQ sauce.
Nutrition Per Serving
One plate (half the recipe) has about 305 calories, 25g protein, 25g carbs, 4.5g fiber and 12g fat, with about 7g of sugar that all comes from the vegetables. If your chicken thighs are bigger (5 to 6 ounces each), add about 35 to 70 calories and 5 to 10 grams of protein per plate. Want to see how this fits your day? Plug it into my free macro calculator.
Tips for Crispy Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry. Dry chicken browns; wet chicken steams.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Give the vegetables room in a single layer so they roast instead of getting soggy. Use a second pan if needed.
- Watch the broiler. BBQ sauce goes from caramelized to burnt fast. Stay close for those last 5 minutes.
- Use a thermometer. Chicken is done at 165°F in the thickest piece.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chicken breast: Cut it into the same size chunks and check it at 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out.
- Swap the squash: Sweet potato cubes roast the same way.
- Swap the zucchini: Bell peppers or broccoli florets both work.
- Any BBQ sauce: Use your favorite. Regular sauce adds about 15 grams of sugar per plate.
Storage and Meal Prep
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes to bring back the crispy edges. To meal prep, cut the vegetables up to 2 days ahead. The cooked chicken freezes well for up to 3 months, but freeze it on its own, because roasted zucchini gets soft after freezing.
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken FAQs
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes. Cut the breast into the same 1-inch chunks and start checking at 15 minutes. Breast is leaner, so pull it as soon as it hits 165°F.
Why broil the chicken at the end?
The broiler caramelizes the BBQ sauce and gives the chicken crispy edges that you can’t get from roasting alone. It only takes 5 minutes.
Can I cook everything on one pan?
Yes, if your pan is large enough to keep the vegetables in a single layer. Otherwise use a second small pan for the chicken so it’s easy to slide under the broiler.
Is this good for weight loss?
At 305 calories and 25 grams of protein per plate, with lots of filling vegetables, it fits easily into most calorie targets. Pair it with a side salad if you want an even bigger plate.
Can I make this for more than two people?
Absolutely. Double everything and use two sheet pans so nothing gets crowded.
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Vegetables
Equipment
- Large sheet pan
- Parchment paper or foil
- Instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 cups butternut squash cubes about 10 oz / 280 g, ¾-inch pieces
- 2 small zucchinis about 8 oz / 240 g total, cut into ½-inch half moons
- ½ red onion cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 8 oz / 225 g total
- ¼ cup G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce divided
Seasoning
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder divided (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment for easy cleanup.
- Cut the butternut squash into ¾-inch cubes (or use pre-cut cubes), slice the zucchini into ½-inch half moons, and cut the red onion into 1-inch chunks.
- Add the vegetables to the sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Spread them out in a single layer.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and cut them into 1-inch chunks (about ½ ounce each). Season with salt and garlic powder and toss with about half of the BBQ sauce.
- Add the chicken to the same pan if it’s large, or to a second smaller pan.
- Roast for 20 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Take the vegetables out (or off the pan) and keep them warm. Switch the oven to broil on high.
- Broil the chicken for 5 more minutes, until the outside is a little crispy and the sauce is caramelized. Watch closely so the edges don’t burn.
- Rest the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, then divide the vegetables and chicken between 2 plates. Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition: Estimate per plate before added salt, based on USDA values and the G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce label. About 7g sugar, all from the vegetables. Larger thighs (5 to 6 oz each) add about 35 to 70 calories and 5 to 10g protein per plate.
- Substitutions: Use chicken breast cut into the same chunks (check at 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out). Swap the squash for sweet potato cubes, or the zucchini for bell peppers or broccoli. Any sugar-free or regular BBQ sauce works; regular sauce adds about 15g sugar per plate.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Make-ahead / freezing: Cut the vegetables up to 2 days ahead. The cooked chicken freezes well for up to 3 months; freeze it on its own because roasted zucchini gets soft after freezing.
Nutrition
More High Protein Dinners for Two
- BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes
- Cheeseburger Protein Bowls
- Rotisserie Chicken Taco Bowls for Two
- Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash for Two
- Hawaiian Haystacks for Two
