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This Rosemary Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken with Bacon and Apples is a quick and wholesome weeknight dinner that fills your kitchen with the most incredible aroma. Made in just one pan, it’s layered with flavor from juicy chicken, crispy bacon, sweet apples, caramelized Brussels sprouts, and a rosemary balsamic marinade that pulls it all together beautifully. It’s also Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
As a nutritionist, I’m always looking for ways to make healthy meals that actually feel comforting and satisfying. This dinner checks all the boxes. It’s simple, nutrient-dense, family-approved, and ridiculously good.
A Go-To for Busy Weeknights
Let’s be real. Weeknight dinners need to be quick, delicious, and cleanup-friendly. Life has been crazy busy, and the sheet pan meals are totally making things so much easier. This one-pan chicken recipe does exactly that. Lately, my sheet pan has been my best friend, especially on the days when life feels nonstop. This recipe came together out of that need, and now it’s a regular in our rotation.
And can we talk about the smell? The balsamic rosemary marinade baking in the oven with the bacon and apples is just next-level. A friend walked in while it was roasting and immediately peeked inside the oven. It’s that good. And honestly, it’s such a delicious way to make the most of all those apples while they’re in season!
How To Make It
This is a true toss-and-bake meal. Here’s how it comes together:
- Blend up a simple marinade using balsamic vinegar, fresh rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- Coat the chicken in the marinade. You can marinate ahead for up to 12 hours or just let it sit while prepping the other ingredients.
- Arrange everything on a sheet pan. Yes, even the uncooked bacon goes right on the pan.
- Drizzle leftover marinade over the Brussels sprouts and apples.
- Roast in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the veggies are caramelized.
That’s it. So simple.
Tips for Success
- Marinate ahead: If you have the time, marinating for a few hours will deepen the flavor even more.
- Don’t skip the bacon: It adds a rich, savory bite that balances the sweetness of the apples.
- Mix up the veggies: Brussels sprout are perfect here, but you could also throw in mushrooms or carrots depending on what you have.
- Make it a meal: I love this served over greens or tossed into a salad. My kids and husband prefer it with my Perfect Skillet Roasted Potatoes, over rice or for a crispy, cheesy twist, my Crispy Parmesan Sheet Pan Potatoes.
Storing Leftovers
This dish stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days. It reheats well and makes for the best lunch bowls. Just pair with some fresh greens or leftover potatoes and you’ve got a new meal in minutes.
Rosemary Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken with Bacon and Apples
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup chopped rosemary
- 10 oz brussel sprouts, stem cut off and cut in half
- 2 apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
- 6 slices of bacon, chopped
- Salt + Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut your chicken breast into smaller chunks or pieces. Set aside.
- Make your marinade by blending balsamic vinegar, oil, lemon, and garlic. While motor is running, add chopped rosemary. Continue blending for at least 1 minute or until rosemary is well incorporated. Place chicken into a bowl or container with marinade. Marinade for at least 5 minutes, but up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with foil. Place brussel sprouts, apples, and bacon on the sheet. Add chicken. Brush any reserved marinade over sprouts and apples.
- Bake for 15 minutes (depending on thickness of chicken). Bump up the oven to 425 degrees, and cook for another 5 – 10 minutes of cooking to get everything extra crispy!
- Remove from oven and serve immediately. Salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
After reading the comments I decided to do the following:
Crisped up the bacon about half way, while I was doing that I put the Brussel sprouts in the oven. Once the bacon was done I added the chicken pieces, marinade and bacon to the Brussel sprouts and cooked for about 7 minutes. After that I added the apples for another 7 minutes or until they got soft but crispy and the chicken read 165 degrees.
I also did up some roasted potatoes in the air fryer. Mmmmm!
This was another delicious recipe Amy – thank you!
Great recipe. I added sweet potatoes, which I tossed in olive oil and roasted for 20 minutes at 375 before adding the other ingredients and cooking as per the instructions.
I also added a bit of Dijon mustard to the marinade.
Prep time about 30 minutes not 10;)
This dish was so tasty! I’ve been doing Whole30 off and on for 3 years now, it’s always a great way to reset my body after holiday/travel eating. The challenge is finding really delicious recipes that aren’t too complicated. This one is perfect! The balance of flavors, salty from the bacon, sweet from the apples, and the delicious balsamic marinade, this one is a new staple that’s going in my permanent recipe book. Thank you thank you!
Does this really have 444,000 calories?!!? 444k?
Each serving has 444 kcal or kilocalories. 1 kcal is equivalent to 1 calorie. They are the same measurement and used interchangeably on nutrition labels.