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Bringing you all some springtime vibes with this Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Lemon Butter Potatoes with creamy whipped feta and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. Basil pesto marinated chicken roasted alongside sesame-crusted lemon garlic potatoes. Served over creamy whipped feta cheese, then topped with vinaigrette and all the herbs you can find. This dish is quick, easy, extra colorful, super flavorful, and so delicious. The perfect dinner to serve any night of the week. Promise this is not your average sheet pan dinner. It’s so DELICIOUS and the leftovers make for an awesome lunch the following day.
This is going to sound cheesy, but you guys, spring has sprung! Well, I mean, kind of. It sure felt like spring on Friday and Saturday. But of course, yesterday was filled with snow and it’s supposed to continue throughout the week. But, we’ve had a glimpse and I’ve surrounded myself with all the fresh spring flowers I can find. So, I am very much in the springtime mindset and today’s recipe 100% reflects that.
I’ve definitely made it clear by now, but I really love a one-and-done sheet pan dinner. They’re some of my favorites to share as well as my favorite to serve to family and friends. They really do take the stress out of the weeknight dinner. It’s nice to be able to throw everything into the oven and let your dinner cook away while you work on other things.
I mean, right? Yes, yes. Of course.
And everyone…this sheet pan dinner feels extra special because it is. it has those “extras” that really make it really really GOOD.
My Inspiration?
Well, spring for one, and the fact that the only fresh herb I had on hand the other day was basil. But also, I wanted to create a lighter spring dinner that still felt satisfying enough for a Sunday night family dinner. Or even upcoming Easter Sunday.
I did some brainstorming and thought back to the recipes my Nonnie would make when we’d visit them in Florida over spring break. One of her signatures was a simple roasted chicken with potatoes…and bread. Always bread with dinner.
So, I stole one of her concepts a bit and made it into a sheet pan dinner, which she would fully approve of. My Nonnie was an awesome cook, but she didn’t mess around with “fussy” recipes. She lived by the motto, the easier the better.
Start with the chicken and potatoes
For the chicken, I kept things simple and tossed it with some basil pesto, a shallot, and a bit of lemon zest. All very fresh spring flavors, and all very delicious. I like to let the chicken sit and “marinate” while I prep the potatoes.
And the potatoes? Aside from the feta (more on that below), they’re my favorite part. Inspired by a classic greek roasted potato. I flavored them with lots of lemon, garlic, and butter. The butter is not traditional but adds a richness to the potatoes that I found to be delish. Oh, and then some sesame seeds for a little nutty crunch.
The potatoes go into the oven first so that they really have time to roast before adding the chicken to the pan. The idea is that you don’t want the chicken to dry out, so add it to the pan halfway through cooking. It will cook perfectly alongside the potatoes.
And while that’s happening, whip that feta…
Is this necessary? No, absolutely not. But do you need this? Yes, you absolutely do.
If you have a food processor, all you do is whip feta cheese with olive oil until creamy. It takes just a few minutes and is worth every bit of extra effort…I promise! Once the warm roasted potatoes and chicken touch the creamy feta, the feta immediately begins to melt into everything creating a creamy, delicious “sauce”.
It’s the perfect amount of salty creaminess to balance out all the savory roasted potatoes and chicken.
Let’s finish it up!
While the chicken is cooking mix up a quick vinaigrette with some sun-dried tomatoes and the olive oil left in the tomato jar. Add in balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lemon. This is your super simple tomato vinaigrette.
I like to drizzle it over the feta, then add the potatoes and chicken. It is SO GOOD and pretty too with all the colors from the tomatoes and herbs. This makes it perfect for spring, but still cozy enough for days when the weather can still be cold and snowy (or cold and rainy, which I think is actually worse).
I made this for my family Sunday night and it was the perfect dinner to share with them. My dad especially loved the potatoes combined with the whipped feta. It’s a mouth-watering combination that’s rather hard to beat!
So you see? Great for a Sunday, easy enough for a busy weeknight, but still fancy enough for Easter!
Looking for other sheet pan recipes? Here are a few to try:
Sheet Pan Sticky Gochujang Chicken Meatballs
Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Sheet Pan Sticky Ginger Sesame Chicken and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Lemon Butter Potatoes with Whipped Feta be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Lemon Butter Potatoes with Whipped Feta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 729 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- zest and juice of 1-2 lemons
- kosher salt and black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 medium russet potatoes, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, and reserve the oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or thyme
- 2 tablespoons white or regular balsamic vinegar
- pita/naan and fresh herbs, for serving
Whipped Feta
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, pesto, shallot, lemon zest, and a pinch each of chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Let sit 15 minutes.2. On a baking sheet, toss the potatoes with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. 3. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Add the butter, lemon juice, garlic, and sesame seeds, toss to coat, then push the potatoes to one side of the pan. Put the chicken on the other side. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 20 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through.4. Meanwhile, make the tomato vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the balsamic vinegar until combined. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, dill, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.5. To make the feta. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. The feta can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 6. To serve, spread the feta onto plates and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Add the potatoes and chicken, top with fresh herbs. Serve pita on the side. Enjoy!
Another amazing recipe! This one was so flavorful — the sundried tomato vinaigrette with the whipped feta is to die for!
Hey Alexis,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week? xTieghan
My husband and five year old son enjoyed this so that’s a win! We kept it simple and omitted the feta sauce and used sweet potatoes but otherwise kept to the recipe and will make again!
Hey Alexis,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week? xTieghan
This was so delicious and elevated (mostly due to the amazing whipped feta spread) that it’s surprising how quick and minimal it is with prep. I can attest that it’s still delicious with reduced allium, but I would not skip the vinaigrette but any means! This is my third recipe I’ve made from you this week – I cannot thank you enough for your hard work & content!!
Hey Olivia,
Awesome! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I made this tonight and both me and my partner went back for seconds – delicious! I’ll be adding this recipe to my list of keepers. Thank you, thank you!
Hey Alyson,
I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! ?Tieghan
Made this tonight – it’s divine! I finished my chicken in a skillet to get it a bit crispy – delicious!
Hey Kenzie,
I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! ?Tieghan
This was a huge hit for Easter. The flavours were great (I made my own fresh pesto). My son can no longer tolerate gluten, so this was an easy workaround. I think I cut the chicken too small…next time I might just cut the thighs in half so they brown better. I also used 2 pans to make sure I wasn’t overcrowding. The potatoes were so divine I made more next day to eat with the leftover chicken, because the first batch was almost gone :D. I think the type of potato you use also makes a difference: first batch were Yukon gold organic, second batch were yellow-fleshed regular. The first batch was by far the most flavourful. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Jane,
I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! ?Tieghan
Made this last night exactly as written – It was incredible!!
Hey Shannon,
I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! ?Tieghan
This. Is. Amazingly. Delicious.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great Wednesday! xTieghan
This was a big hit with my husband. I don’t eat meat, so I didn’t try it myself. I wish I had used two small sheet pans so that I could have tried some of those wonderful looking potatoes. Next time. The lemon juice amounts were a little confusing. I put all of the juice of one lemon into what I poured onto the potatoes. Then later for the vinaigrette I needed two tablespoons of lemon juice. It was not a problem, as I always have lemons on hand, but this would involve another lemon, I think. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey Vivian,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great Wednesday! xTieghan
I just made this dish last night and it was incredible. If you cook often like I do, then a majority of the ingredients listed on here are items that I already had which was nice. It was pretty easy actually. DO NOT SLEEP on the whipped feta and tomato vinaigrette. I am drooling thinking about it haha. I seriously loved the combination of flavors in this dish. The lemon and pesto really made this dish stand out. It’s a whole different twist on a sheet pan dinner. I immediately added this to my hand written recipe book. Thank you so much for ENDLESS inspiration as I have made a million of your dishes. 🙂 Just delightful that you have created so many recipes my boyfriend and I now have in our rotation that we always look forward to.
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great Wednesday! xTieghan
So good!!! One question- with all the liquid, how do you keep your potatoes from becoming mushy?
Hey Emmie,
It’s really key to not overcrowd your pan, this really helps to achieve crispy potatoes. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Easy and delicious and even got all four of my kids to eat. The feta deff tops it off!!
Hey Bianka,
Happy Monday! It’s so great that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xTieghan
Enjoyed this recipe, the whipped feta really adds to the taste. I found the prep time took longer but that’s because I was constantly rereading the recipe. Once I had all the ingredients together it was easy. Great flavors.
Hey Sharron,
Happy Weekend! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Can you clarify how much lemon juice to add to the potatoes? I couldn’t tell. Can’t wait to try this!
Hey Kathleen,
You are just going to toss the potatoes with olive oil for roasting. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last night and, after considerable work on a weeknight, we were disappointed. I love so many of your recipes but am finding that there are so many steps and ingredients lately. I think that the concept of a sheet pan dinner is built around simplicity. In the kindest way I can say, you are creating these recipes without a hungry household after a full day at work. If I were alone in a beautiful barn kitchen all day I would have the time required to create and prepare these recipes. I hate having to refer to the recipe a zillion times in the course of preparation cause there are so many steps to follow. The recipes just seem so intricate, as much as I love most of them. Just feedback from a big fan!
Hey Patti,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe and thanks for your feedback! Just a suggestion, I would review the recipe before making it, if it feels like too many ingredients and steps maybe save it for a night when you have more time. Hope this helps!! xTieghan