Sweet, savory, and smoky orange marmalade chicken cooks alongside zucchini on a single tray for an easy weeknight dinner with just 15 minutes of prep. Serve the meat and veggies on a bowl of fluffy rice!
Table of Contents
If you love sheet pan dinners as much as we do, be sure to try these sheet pan fajitas, this sheet pan low country boil, a maple-glazed salmon sheet pan dinner, these shrimp and potatoes with vegetables, this sheet pan sausage and potatoes, and this delicious bbq sheet pan chicken and veggies, too!
Why You’ll Love this Easy Orange Marmalade Chicken Recipe
- One Pan. Everyone appreciates a meal that cooks on a single tray, which means fewer dishes to wash at the end. You can even stir together the ingredients right on the pan if you don’t want to dirty a mixing bowl!
- Easy. This dinner comes together with just a handful of pantry staples like spices, orange marmalade, and a bottle of Catalina salad dressing. Pop it in the oven and your job is done.
- Flavorful. It might be easy, but the meal tastes complex and satisfying, thanks to a combination of sweet, smoky, and savory ingredients. No boring chicken allowed!
- Versatile. Keep it easy and pair the meat and veggies with cooked rice, biscuits, couscous, or cornbread. My kids also love the chicken stuffed inside tacos with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, and any other toppings.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of orange marmalade chicken. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: white or dark meat both work fine, so pick your favorite — boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Olive oil: helps the seasoning adhere to and flavor the meat, and helps the chicken and veggies brown in the oven without sticking to the pan.
- All-purpose flour: absorbs some of the liquid that the chicken releases on the pan so that the meat doesn’t get soggy and steam in the oven.
- Smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder: for a smoky, savory spice rub on the meat.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash: fresh vegetables that cook right on the same tray as the chicken. One less side dish to worry about!
- Catalina dressing: you can also use French dressing as a substitute if you can’t find Catalina at your store.
- Orange marmalade: we like this sweet orange marmalade, which doesn’t have any bitter aftertaste. It thickens the glaze and adds sweet, subtle citrus flavor to the dish.
How to Make Orange Marmalade Chicken
This easy orange marmalade chicken recipe comes together with about 15 minutes of prep, and then the oven does the work! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Season the chicken and arrange it on a baking sheet.
- Add the zucchini to the pan and season.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the marmalade mixture.
- Toss the chicken with the glaze.
- Bake for 5 more minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the chicken and zucchini over white rice, brown rice, or couscous and garnish with sliced green onions. The chicken is also great in tacos, burritos, on salads, and on burrito bowls. The sweet, zesty, and savory protein goes well with so many different sides! Here are a few more options to pair with the meat and veggies:
- Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Egg Noodles
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Corn Sticks
- Corn Muffins or 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins, Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, or Drop Biscuits
- Southern-Style Green Beans, Roasted Green Beans, Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, or Green Bean Casserole
- Creamed Peas
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Sauteed Spinach or Creamed Spinach Casserole
- Easy Broccoli Casserole, Broccoli and Rice Casserole, or Broccoli and Cheese
- Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole or Southern Squash Casserole
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, Kale Apple Salad with Bacon and Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Roasted Cabbage, Braised Cabbage with Apples and Bacon, or Fried Cabbage
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead: There’s not much prep work necessary, but if you want to get a head start you can whisk together the seasoning blend and the glaze in advance. Keep the glaze covered in the fridge for up to 1 week before using.
- Store leftover baked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet at 350°F just until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- If you’d like a stronger orange citrus flavor in the sauce, add the grated fresh zest from 1 small orange and/or a splash of orange juice.
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can also purchase chicken breast tenderloins and cut those into bite-size pieces.
- Swap out the Catalina salad dressing and use French dressing instead.
- Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
- Try apricot jam, apricot preserves, peach preserves, or peach jam in lieu of the orange marmalade.
- Make the chicken spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne to the seasoning, or by adding a dash of hot sauce to the glaze.
- For salty umami flavor, add soy sauce to the sweet orange sauce.
Tips for the Best Orange Marmalade Chicken Recipe
- Use an extra-large rimmed baking sheet (or two separate smaller baking sheets) so that you have plenty of space for all of your ingredients to spread out. This helps the chicken and veggies cook faster and brown in the oven.
- Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. If you’re using parchment paper, do not transfer the pan to the broiler (since the paper can catch on fire).
- The smoked paprika is a key ingredient to create that rich, smoky flavor on the meat. You can sub with sweet paprika, but the taste will be quite different.
- If you prefer your chicken and vegetables really charred, place the tray under the broiler for a minute or two at the end. Just don’t walk away since the ingredients can burn quickly.
- Garnish with sliced green onions or fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, chives, or basil for a bright and colorful finishing touch.
More Easy One Pan Chicken Recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
35 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole
50 minutes mins
Sheet Pan Herb Roasted Chicken & Veggies
55 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Sheet Pan Orange Marmalade Chicken with Zucchini
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Sweet, smoky, and savory orange marmalade chicken cooks with zucchini on a single sheet pan!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ¼ teaspoons onion powder, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
- ¼ cup Catalina salad dressing, or use French dressing
- ¼ cup orange marmalade (we like this sweet orange marmalade that doesn't have a bitter taste)
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme; sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line an extra-large baking sheet with foil (if desired for easy cleanup) and spray with nonstick cooking spray or coat with oil.
- On the prepared pan or in a separate bowl, toss together the chicken and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, paprika, 1 teaspoon of the onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder to the chicken; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; toss again. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on one side of the baking sheet. Arrange the zucchini on the other side of the pan, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and toss to coat. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the Catalina dressing, the orange marmalade, the remaining ¼ teaspoon onion powder, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, and a little bit of salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle the orange marmalade glaze over the chicken; toss to coat. Give the zucchini a stir. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 5-10 more minutes, until the glaze on the chicken starts to caramelize and the zucchini is tender. For a really crispy, charred finish, place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes instead (don’t place the tray under the broiler if you use parchment paper to line the pan – it can catch on fire). If it’s under the broiler, watch the tray closely because the sauce can burn quickly. Garnish with fresh herbs or sliced green onions and serve!
Notes
- Use an extra-large rimmed baking sheet (or two separate smaller baking sheets) so that you have plenty of space for all of your ingredients to spread out. This helps the chicken and veggies cook faster and brown in the oven.
- Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. If you’re using parchment paper, do not transfer the pan to the broiler (since the paper can catch on fire).
- The smoked paprika is a key ingredient to create that rich, smoky flavor on the meat. You can sub with sweet paprika, but the taste will be quite different.
- If you prefer your chicken and vegetables really charred, place the tray under the broiler for a minute or two at the end. Just don’t walk away since the ingredients can burn quickly.
- Garnish with sliced green onions or fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, chives, or basil for a bright and colorful finishing touch.
Looks good. I am wanting to prep chicken by cutting up rawtenderloins into bite size pieces and then freezing them until needed. So far as you know, would that method work and how long could I freeze the chicken?
Also, can you suggest a link to a homemade French or Catalina dressing? I hate to buy a bottle of dressing for just one recipe because I so seldom eat salads because of my teeth.
I want to tell you once again how much I appreciate being able to ask you for advice on recipes! You, your prompt responses, your site, your family, your weekend reports and your yummy recipes are among the sunniest spots in my daily life. Thanks again!
Hi Marion, Thank you for your kinds words and following along. We’re so happy to have you here!
That should work for the chicken as long as you thaw it first. Chicken pieces can be frozen for up to 9 months.
This French dressing is popular. Hope this helps!
Thanks!
Lovely recipe. Thank you Blair!
Thank you, Noelene!
I loved this one! Thank you Blair from Australia 🙂
Thank you, Noelene! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.