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This Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash is a new fall favorite. The chicken is breaded in coconut, oven-baked, then tossed in a spicy, sweet, and extra sticky Thai pomegranate sauce. Then just add honey-roasted autumn squash…cooked right alongside the chicken…for the easiest weeknight sheet pan dinner. Serve the sticky chicken and squash over coconut rice topped with plenty of juicy pomegranate arils. The perfect easy fall dinner any night of the week…that’s delicious too!
Happy Wednesday guys, this week is already flying by! I’ll have a special post tomorrow to share a fun new launch. It’s feeling very exciting, I can’t wait!! More on all of that fun stuff tomorrow. But for now, I’m moving right on into this recipe…
The craziness of the week has left me needing super quick and easy dinners. I’ve been testing out slow cooker meals, one pot dishes, and plenty of sheet pan dinners. Like this chicken! It’s perfect for the crisp, cool fall weather that’s hit us these past few days, especially the night time temps! It’s safe to say we’re entering into cold-weather season. Am I ready for it? No, not at all, but I am ready for all the cozy, comforting fall recipes.
Which brings me back to this chicken. It’s still chicken and rice, just all done up for fall and with a sticky pomegranate chill sauce and a side of sweet honey roasted squash. And it is delicious!
Just add a side of coconut rice and you’ll be good to go. One word? Yum.
The second I see pomegranates show up come fall, I’m immediately brainstorming new recipes. I love pomegranates!
It’s typical to serve pomegranates in a salad, or on a cheeseboard, but I love allowing them to shine. They have so much flavor and can be used in such a variety of recipes. They’re the sweet jewels of autumn, and if you ask me, we should be showcasing them more.
So instead of the usual salad, I thought we’d do a Thai inspired sticky chicken. The pomegranates in the sauce add the most delicious sweet and tangy flavor.
First up, the rice! All sticky chicken dinners need a side of rice. For this chicken, I’m also giving you my coconut rice recipe. It compliments this chicken so well. You just need rice and coconut milk, plus about twenty minutes of time. It’s the easiest to make, but my favorite way to cook rice these days.
While the rice cooks, make the chicken and roast the squash. Since it takes a little longer than the chicken to fully cook, I like to give the squash a little head start. What’s key with the squash is to simply roast it with olive oil, salt, and pepper. You’ll then want to add the honey and chili flakes towards the end of cooking. Once the honey is added, the squash will caramelize on the edges, making them crisp, sweet, and delicious!
For the chicken, I decided to give it a coconut/panko breading. It’s a light breading, but it’s just enough to help all that sticky sauce actually stick to the chicken. The coconut adds just the right amount of flavor, while giving the chicken some texture too.
Once you’ve breaded the chicken, pull the squash out of the oven and arrange it to one side of the pan. Now, take the breaded chicken and arrange it to the other side of the pan. Next, drizzle the chicken generously with olive oil. This will help it to crisp up a bit in the oven. Now just bake everything until the chicken is cooked and the squash has caramelized.
The truth? The sauce is truly why you should make this recipe. It’s my favorite sauce, and it’s addicting.
Sweet, tangy, a touch spicy and once boiled down, super sticky. The key ingredient is the pomegranate juice. I know it might sound odd, but the pomegranate juice adds sweetness, tanginess, and deep dark color.
The sauce takes only a few minutes to thicken up on the stove. It’s usually ready by the time the chicken has finished cooking.
Then just toss the sauce with the chicken, return to the oven for a few more minutes, and you’re done. Easy, right? It’s not fancy by any means, but it’s incredibly delicious.
Spoon the rice into bowls, add the squash and chicken, then top with plenty of juicy pomegranate arils and drizzle with a generous amount of the leftover sauce…because saucy sticky chicken is the only way to go. Finish with cilantro.
Such a simple weeknight dinner that’s healthy, pretty (hello to those pomegranates), and the easiest to make. I know this one is going to be on repeat all season long.
Looking for other pomegranate recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Fall Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad
Pan Roasted Pomegranate Glazed Salmon
Fall Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Kale Salad
Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan Sticky Thai Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash, 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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Surprised how much I love the combo of all these flavors. So satisfying
Thank you Dana! xTieghan
Delicious fall meal.
Thank you Jason! xTieghan
Made this the other night and I’m still thinking about it! Amazing! I didn’t have acorn squash so used sweet potatoes instead. This is definitely on our favorite list! Love all of your recipes! Thanks again ?
Thank you so much Leslie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Delicious! I didn’t find it to be too sweet like others have said. The ginger in the sauce gives it a really nice balance of flavors. Not difficult, minimal dishes, and incredibly yummy!
Thank you so much Katie! xTieghan
My family loved this chicken! Will definitely make again. The sauce is a nice balance of sweet and spicy.
Hi Debbie! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
OMG, my husband and I absolutely loved this recipe! Crispy, chewy, spicy, tangy deliciousness! This is a keeper for me!
Thank you so much Nancy! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this twice in 2 weeks, and delicious both times. Chicken is so good as leftovers too the next day with that sauce! xoxo
Yes love that! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lauren! Thank you! xTieghan
Another great dinner. I substituted the rice wine vinegar with lime juice. I found it easier to cook the chicken and the squash on separate cookie sheets. The sauce was so good.
Thank you so much Scarlett! I am really glad this turned out well for you! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was amazing!! Next time I will double (or triple the sauce) it is so good.
Thank you for anther dinner winner!!
Thank you Sheri! xTieghan
I feel like I’m a broken record every time i comment on one of your recipes, but seriously…you knocked it out of the park again, Tieghan!! Just made this wonderful meal for my husband and dear friends of ours who are visiting from out of town. The flavors are delightful and oh so scrumptious! Thank you!
Haha I love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this one and so many others, Jeannine! xTieghan
I made this last night and it came out so well! The coconut rice went so well with the chicken and the squash. I can’t wait to make another recipe of yours tonight!
Thank you Hillary! I am really glad you liked this one! I hope you love whatever you choose to make tonight! xTieghan
I made this last night for my family and we all LOVED it! Even my extremely picky children enjoyed it. Can’t wait to wait it again soon!
Thank you so much Sheri! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This sauce-OMG!!! I skipped the chicken (vegetarian) & put the sauce directly on the squash. Best sauce ever-thanks!!
Thank you so much Dale! xTieghan
I made this last night. My boyfriend and I loved it!! Delicious. I loved the squash with the dish. Easy ti make too! Thank you!
Thank you so much Amanda! xTieghan
Made it tonight for 4 adults and 3 kids under 6, we all loved it! Added a side of steamed green beans and used acorn and delicata squash, both turned out so good!
Thank you Jenny! xTieghan