This Sheet-pan Szechuan Chicken takes only 20 minutes of hands-on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love! Vegan and gluten-free adaptable!

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Here’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner that doesn’t lack in flavor! Szechuan Chicken baked on a sheet pan along with healthy Brussels sprouts bathed in flavorful Szechuan Sauce. Serve it over jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or just on its own (like we do here). So yummy!

A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love! Plus + 25 Best Sheet-Pan Dinners!

What you’ll need (ingredients)

    • Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on) or feel free to sub chicken breast, or tofu – see notes for more options!
    • Brussels sprouts, halved ( or use other veggies; broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, asparagus)

Szechuan Marinade:

    • Garlic Chili Paste 
    • Fresh Garlic and ginger
    • Szechuan peppercorns,  (sichuan peppercorns) toasted, crushed (or substitute black peppercorn, see notes) have their signature “numbing effect” on the tongue.
    • Chinese five-spice (optional, but elevates)
    • Cornstarch 
    • Dried red chillies- just for “looks” – optional, or sub red bell pepper

Garnish with: green onions,  peanuts, and serve on its own,  over jasmine rice,  cauliflower rice, or with a whole grain.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

How to make Sheet Pan Szechuan chicken (instructions)

Step one: It starts with the simple Szechuan marinade, just mix the ingredients together in a bowl. You could do this ahead and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

 Szechuan Marinade for Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

For a boost of authentic Szechuan flavor, try adding Szechuan peppercorns, or keep it simple with regular pepper.

Szechuan Marinade | Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Step two: Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, and let this sit while you prep the Brussels sprouts, or feel free to marinate it overnight for even more flavor.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Step three: Cut the dark ends off the Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Step four: Pour the remaining Szechuan marinade over the Brussels sprouts and give it a good toss.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Add a few dried hot chilies, mainly just for looks!

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Step five: Spread out the Brussels sprouts onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, open side down.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Nestle in the chicken ( or tofu), pouring the remaining marinade over the chicken.

TIP: FOR EXTRA CRISPY SKIN, pan-sear the chicken skin in a skillet before nestling on the sheet pan.

***Sprinkle each chicken thigh (or tofu) with a little salt.

Step six: And then bake in a 425 F oven. After 20 minutes, rotate the sheet pan if need be, and spoon little of the pan sauce over the chicken, and bake 10 more mins.

Make sure the Szechuan chicken thighs are cooked to 170 F. To give a little more color to the skin, broil for a few minutes.

Expert Tips

    1. Make the Szechuan sauce ahead for a quick weeknight meal.
    1. Sear the skin side of the chicken in a skillet for extra crispy skin before placing it on the sheet pan.
    1. Place the Brussels sprouts, cut side down on the sheet pan for the most even cooking.
    1. Feel free to add other veggies- bell pepper, onion, etc.
    1.  Do not cook on aluminum foil (these are really old photos!); please use parchment paper.

Serving Suggestions and Storage

Serve over jasmine rice, black rice, cauliflower rice or on its own. Top with chili crisp, for a crunchy extra spice kick.

Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator fridge and can be reheated in a 350 oven.

Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken (or Tofu) with Brussel Sprouts  takes only 15-20 minutes of hands on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!  #sheetpandinner #szechuanchicken #szechuan #szechuansauce #sheetpanchicken #roastedbrusselsprouts

Dish it up and enjoy!

More Favorite Chicken Recipes!

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Baked Szechuan Chicken Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 29 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: main, vegan main, chicken , sheet pan dinner
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Description

This baked, Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken recipe takes only 15-20 minutes of hands-on time before baking in the oven. A full-flavored weeknight dinner your whole family will love!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs ( bone-in, skin on) or tofu – see notes for more options!
  • 11 1/2 lbs medium brussel sprouts, halved ( see notes)

Szechuan Marinade:

  • 1/4 cup honey or agave or maple syrup ( honey tastes best)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (or use GF soy sauce like Braggs)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or use black vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 23 teaspoons Garlic Chili Paste (more for more spicy, or sub sriracha)
  • 4 fat garlic cloves, finely minced ( use a garlic press)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced or ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more for sprinkling
  • 1/21 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, toasted, crushed (or substitute black pepper, see notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice (optional, but elevates)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional, but thickens the sauce)
  • a few dried red chilies- just for “looks” – optional

Garnish with scallions, serve on its own,  over rice,  cauliflower rice, or with a whole grain.


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425F ( If you don’t have a broiler, see notes)
  2. Make the Szechuan marinade by stirring all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, either in a bowl or zip lock bag. Let chicken marinate while you prep the brussel sprouts, or marinate overnight (for even more flavor!)
  3. Cut the brussels sprouts in half. The brussels sprouts pictured here are ping-pong ball sized, so depending on size, you may need to quarter, or leave them whole. If using very very small Brussels sprouts,   leave them whole. If extra- large, like a golf ball,  then quarter.
  4. Place brussel sprouts in a bowl and pour the remaining marinade over brussel sprouts and toss. Add a few dried chilies if you like ( just for looks) and spread them out on a large, parchment or foil-lined sheet pan. Nestle the chicken thighs (or tofu) in between, and spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken. ***Season the chicken or tofu with a little salt (especially if not marinating overnight!). 
  5. Bake it in the hot oven, for 30 minutes, checking at 20 minutes, rotating if need be, and spooning a little of the  pan juices over the chicken or tofu. After 30 minutes, double-check for doneness ( either use a thermometer, should read 170 F) or cut into one.
  6. Broil for a few minutes to get the chicken skin deeply golden and crispy.
  7. If using a different cut of chicken see notes.
  8. Serve by dividing the brussel sprouts and top with the chicken. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with more chili paste for extra spicy.

Notes

If you don’t have a broiler and are using skin on chicken thighs, pan-sear the skin side over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes (or until golden)  before nestling in the sheet pan.

If using tofu, either cut into “filets” ( a square or rectangular slab) about a ¾ inch thick, strips or cubes. Marinate the tofu, in a bowl for 10 minutes, or in a bag overnight. Season with extra salt.

You can use skinless boneless thighs, or even chicken breast (reducing calories significantly)  but cooking times will shorten. Check after 15- 20 minutes, and if chicken is done but brussels sprouts need longer, just remove the chicken (and foil)  letting brussels sprouts cook until tender, probably the full 30 mins.

I also really like this recipe with Black Cod, baking the cod for only 10-15 minutes, letting the brussel sprouts continue cooking until done.

You can cook both chicken and tofu for mixed households, keeping the chicken on one side of the pan and the tofu on the other side of the pan.

****To ensure good flavor -it is important to give the chicken and tofu extra sprinkling of salt.

Szechuan Peppercorns add a unique flavor, but using to much will overpower. If unfamiliar, start with ½ teaspoon. If you’ve never tired one, just plop one in in your mouth and taste it. It has a very perfumy flavor and numbing effect on the tongue, adding interesting complexity!  This may be very pleasant, or very unpleasant to you. This, for me was an acquired taste. You can absolutely leave these out and sub black peppercorns.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: – Using Chicken Thighs with Skin
  • Calories: 650
  • Sugar: 24.5 g
  • Sodium: 722.2 mg
  • Fat: 36.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 44.1 g
  • Fiber: 9.9 g
  • Protein: 41.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 189.1 mg

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Comments

  1. My husband went nuts for this recipe! I loved the flavors in the marinade. Used Thighs and didn’t even have to broil as skin had a nice color. The brussel sprouts were a tad over cooked for my taste so I think I will remove them a bit before the chicken next time. I didn’t have Schezhaun pepper so used pink peppercorns instead. I want to try with Schezhaun.






    1. Hi Nanci! I’m so glad he enjoyed this! Yes, timing will depend on the size of the Brussels Sprouts. 🙂

  2. What a delicious dish! I didn’t have brussel sprouts, so subbed red cabbage and mushrooms. The cabbage was so yummy, crispy and flavorful! Another excellent recipe Sylvia!

  3. Is there anything you’d recommend to substitute for the chili paste or sriracha for kids that don’t do spice? Thanks!

  4. 10/10. Full disclosure: I made changes to this recipe based on what I had. Instead of the garlic chili paste, I used chili crisp. I also used only 1/4 tsp of Szechuan peppercorns because they can be intense for me. When I opened my oven it smelled like char siu heaven. I served with brown rice, edamame, and a salad of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, onion, mint, serrano, and nuoc cham. Def a mix of cultures on my plate, but so, so delish. Thank you for this recipe – it will be a new mainstay for me.






  5. Delicious and flavorful. Fairly foolproof and easy. Healthy. An excellent recipe I have made time and again. My husband loves this. We serve with white rice. We do use the thighs with skin on but appreciate the healthier option of breast and that works well too. Has a bit of sweetness to it.






  6. Excellent marinade! I had 1.5lb boneless skinless thighs that I cut in thick strips, along with cabbage and broccoli. My pan was pretty full, so I ended up cooking ~36 min, stirring halfway through. My husband looooved it and he doesn’t usually like recipes with sweeteners. Will definitely make again. After toasting, and running Szechuan peppercorns through a spice grinder, I sifted them through a sieve to remove gritty-like pieces, then stored in fridge. Sounds like a lot of steps buts its quick and your pepper is ready to use for months!






    1. Amazing sauce/marinade. I added turnips bc I love them. Wonderful compliment. Next time I am trying duck that will be complimented by that marinade.

  7. This was really good. I used ground black pepper in place of the Szechuan peppercorns, and 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Baked with the Brussels sprouts at 425 for 30 minutes… perfectly done at the same time.






  8. So good! Need to make extra marinade next time to drizzle over some rice noodles, too! Made
    With frozen green beans and frozen stir fry veggies & it all turned out great! I love Brussels so can’t wait to try it with them when I can get my hands on some!






  9. I just made this recipe for the 50th/100th time. It is in my faves folder. When your “sheet pan dinner” recipes came out, I asked my husband to pick a few of his favorites, (simple for him to do on his own), he was retired, cooking for himself, and I was trying to stick with my vegan ways, off to work with my other favorites from you. He now begs for brussel sprouts, thanks to you. I use this marinade even when doing brussel sprouts solo, no other brussel sprout recipe seems to compare. Thank you again for a very special, simple recipe. The longer the thighs sit in the marinade the better. I added quite a few arbols to the marinade and I think they enhanced the flavor even more.

  10. Dang. This was FANTASTIC. It was my first sheet pan dish. So glad I ordered the Szechuan pepper. I got the tingly mouth towards the end of the meal! Anyway, I used fresh ginger, garlic, brussel sprouts. I did use the sriracha as a sub as my grocery store was out of the garlic paste. Served it over rice. This will go in to my regular rotation.






  11. Another wonderful dish, Sylvia. I turned it after 20 minutes and my chicken thigh skin was still quite rubbery, but after another 15 minutes the skin was beautifully crispy and reddish from the marinade. My two year old twins loved the chicken and ate several brussel sprouts (which is a win for us). Your recipes are wonderful for introducing little ones to various flavors, textures, and spices. Will definitely make this again. Did I mention it was so easy?!






  12. Hi, I have not tried this recipe but it looks delish and with four kids I am looking for more sheet pan meals. However, in the past, my sheet pan dishes never look like the pictures. The chicken or veggies are never caramelized and there is always excess liquid in my pan. So it seems like everything is steamed instead of roasted. I’ve always used tinfoil to line my pan, do you think that may be the problem? I’d love to try your recipe but not sure if I should skip the parent/tin foil. Thanks!

    1. I would either use foil or parchament. Try broiling the chicken a few mintues after cooked through to give the skin good color and cook up some of the juices.

  13. This was excellent. My chicken marinated for about 2 hrs and I did not salt it as it was a little salty already due to the soy sauce. I used dark soy sauce and black vinegar. I served it with a miso-ginger salad and it was really lovely.






  14. Made this tonight; great flavor and my chicken thighs were so tender! I got great color on the chicken skin, but it was not crispy overall. I did make my 4 thighs in a glass dish vs. a baking sheet, as there was not enough room for the chicken and sprouts (I added baby carrots too) on my baking sheet, so I did them separately. Very good and I will make this again!






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