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Meet your new cozy sheet pan dinner—sweet, tangy pomegranate-glazed chicken with caramelized honey-roasted squash. Everything roasts together, so the glaze gets glossy and the squash turns jammy at the edges.
It’s weeknight-simple, company-pretty, and perfect for fall and holiday vibes. Minimal prep, one pan, big flavor.
I had a reader who left a comment the other week saying she was worried I was not using Pomegranates anymore, well guys worry no more, my fridge is packed to the brim with perfectly red pomegranates and I have some serious ideas.
WATCH THE HOW-TO VIDEO:
Seeing that I’ve made this dish four times in the course of one week, I feel as if I’ve somewhat perfected it. The best part… I figured out how to make it all on just ONE sheet pan!
Yes!
At first I was just remaking this dish for the purpose of getting prettier photos, but then I started to think about the actual recipe itself. Like how could I make it easier, simpler, and just less of a hassle for us to all make on a busy weeknight?
And that’s when it hit me that this recipe could probably all be made on just one pan and all done in the oven. Of course if you want rice (which you do) you have to make that on the stove, but I think I could make rice in my sleep. So it’s not a huge deal to me.
What is a huge deal however, is minimal dishes to wash and easy prep time!! This recipe has both of the those!
You are so welcome!
So here’s how this works. You take both the chicken and squash and place it on one sheet pan. Add the sticky pomegranate glaze to the chicken and a little honey, salt + pepper to the squash. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for around twenty-five minutes. When everything is done, the chicken should be perfectly roasted and the glaze super sticky. The squash should be tender and lightly caramelized!
Take everything out of the oven and add fresh pomegranate arils and a side of rice.
Done and DONE.
For real though, does it get any simpler? I have to say that I am pretty proud of myself for thinking up this whole “one pan” thing. I mean, I know it’s not a new concept, but it’s pretty new to me, and to be honest, I have a hard time figuring out how to fit my recipes onto just one pan or in just one pot. I’m always wanting to add more flavors and more layers of texture, but you know, sometimes simple just really works and that is for sure the case here.
This sheet pan sticky pomegranate chicken truly has all the flavors I love, and if you guys remember any of my recipes from last fall, then you know that I love pomegranate anything and everything!! This chicken is a sticky Thai chicken, made simple and delicious with sweet Thai chile sauce (my secret weapon for so many recipes!) + a little soy… it’s honestly just SO good! The honey roasted squash adds a nice fall vegetable side that pairs really well with the Thai flavors!
Perfect meal from now through the winter. Um, OK cool! 🙂
Ingredients:
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Chicken: Thighs stay juicier; breasts work if you watch for doneness (pull at 165°F internal). Bone-in, skin-on brings extra browning; add a little time as needed.
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Pomegranate: Juice gives a lighter, fruitier glaze; pomegranate molasses delivers deeper tang and faster stickiness (watch so it doesn’t over-reduce).
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Honey: Balances tart pomegranate and helps caramelize; maple is a fine swap for a darker, woodsy finish.
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Squash: Butternut or kabocha for creamy centers; delicata if you want edible skins and quicker tenderness. Cut pieces evenly for even browning.
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Aromatics & spices: Garlic, a pinch of cinnamon or cumin, and smoked paprika amplify warmth; fresh thyme or rosemary at the end keeps it bright.
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Oil & salt: Use a high-heat oil for roasting; season squash and chicken separately before glazing for better flavor penetration.
FAQs
Can I use pomegranate molasses instead of juice?
Yes—molasses gives a thicker, tangier glaze and sets faster. Use less than you would juice and keep an eye on browning so it doesn’t scorch.
Will this work with chicken breasts?
Totally. Roast until the thickest part hits 165°F and rest a few minutes; pulling right at doneness keeps them juicy.
What squash is best here?
Butternut or kabocha for creamy insides; delicata if you want tender skins you can eat. Aim for evenly sized pieces for even roasting.
How do I keep the honey from burning?
Roast on the middle rack, avoid overcrowding, and save a portion of glaze for the final few minutes or a quick broil so sugars caramelize—not char.
Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 241 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger peeled + grated
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 acorn or kabocha squash seeded + sliced into half rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- kosher salt + pepper
- arils from 1 pomegranate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Make the pomegranate sticky glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet Thai chili sauce, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
- Place the chicken and squash on a parchment lined baking sheet with the chicken at one end and the squash at another. Toss the chicken with half of the pomegranate sticky sauce, reserving the rest for serving. Toss the squash with olive oil, honey, salt and pepper.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender. Halfway through cooking, Rotate the pan and spoon any sauce that has settled on the bottom of the pan over the chicken.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the chicken. Serve the chicken and squash over a bowl of rice drizzled with the remaining reserved pomegranate sticky sauce (see note). Garnish with pomegranate arils.
Notes
*If your sauce is not sticky enough for you liking, place the sauce in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until just thickened. Serve with chicken.
PS. I kind of LOVE how pretty this is, it’s those pomegranate arils, they get me every time! Love them!
This post was originally published on October 5, 2016
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Only complaint is that I wish I made MORE of the sauce. It was SO GOOD.
Ah that is amazing! Thank you Kayti, I am so happy you liked this!
This was delicious and really pretty easy! I used chicken breasts as that is what I had–the pomegranite seeds topped it all off so beautifully. You really can’t miss with acorn squash and pomegranite. This would be a nice holiday dish because it is so sweet, spicy and colorful. It would be great at Hannukah.
That is so great! Thank you Kristine!
Omg this looks wonderful! Hey Tieghan, do u think I can use pomegranate molasses and thin it a tad with water in replacement of pom juice? Love your recipes, you are amazing!
Hi! I dont think you need to thin it much, but I think pom molasses will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! 🙂
I cannot wait to make this!! I love all of your food!!! And I love These flavors!
Thank you Billie!
I just stumbled across your blog from pinterest. Your recipes look amazing! I was wondering what brand sweet Thai chili sauce you use? Can’t wait to try some recipes!
Thank you so much, Ashley! I use Thai Kitchens brand sweet Thai chili sauce! 🙂 Let me know if you have other questions.
Holy smokes was this gooooood! I used a variety of squash that I had on hand. My son who does not eat squash loved it!! Thank you so much for making dinner a joy for me again. Sometimes you can get it a rut and loose the love of cooking. This recipe is genius!
Wow! That is so awesome you and your son loved it! Thank you so much, Colleen!!
Just made this! Delish! I subbed the acorn squash for butternut squash which worked well. I definitely needed to simmer the sauce to thicken it too, but it was worth dirtying the pot:)
That sounds delish! Thanks for making it Carrie!
Once my mother bought pomegranate seeds from Costco, I would NOT stop using them on top of my sweet potatoes! They added the perfect amount of color, tartness and flavor in every bite! I love that you’ve whipped them into such a creative and colorful recipe. And I swear–ANY recipe with kabocha squash wins me over!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was great! Super easy to put together and so yummy! I did end up using two pans, but that’s no big deal.
Thank you Susan! So happy you liked it!
I don’t know that I’ve ever commented on a food blog before but HOLY MOLY I just made this and I’m in love. I did one sheet for the chicken and one for the squash because they wouldn’t fit on one. We were going to skip the rice in an attempt to be lower-carb but once I saw all that delicious sauce I couldn’t resist…I went for quinoa though! Definitely going on rotation. Thanks for the fantastic recipe
Yes!! SO happy you loved this recipe! Thank you so much, I hope you continue to enjoy others! (:
Love this recipe!! What greens did you use to garnish?
Thank you so much! I used cilantro. Please let me know ifyou have any other questions. Hope you love this!
I saw this on instagram and have been following you. A couple nights ago, I finally made it and it was delicious! I took a picture (that I can’t upload here) but suffice it to say, wonderful weeknight meal. I also served it with roasted Brussels sprouts. Thank you!
I saw this on instagram and have been following you. A couple nights ago, I finally made it and it was delicious! I took a picture (that I can’t upload here) but suffice it to say, wonderful weeknight meal. I also served it with roasted Brussels sprouts. Thank you!
Sounds amazing Nina! Totally wish I could see the final dish, but I am sure it looked awesome! So happy you loved it, Thank you!
I just made this tonight – DELICIOUS! Your blog has quickly become my favorite for meal planning ?
Yes!! SO happy to hear that! Thank you Allison!
Oh my oh my.. I tried this yesterday and was absolutely mind blown. Such an easy, quite healthy, exotic amazing recipe! I’m from Germany and couldn’t get my hands on any of those pumpkins, so I substituted it with Butternut Squash, which was lovely. My whole family loved it and this will definitely be cooked again.
By the way, the sticky glaze I made turned out great, so it really might depend on what kind of sweet chili sauce you are using. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this amazing dish!
xx from Germany
This sounds so great Lara, thank you! I am so happy you loved this recipe!