Healthy Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

The words "quick," "easy" and "Thanksgiving" typically don’t go together, but rules are being broken with this streamlined sheet-pan turkey dinner. It’s got all the elements of a typical Thanksgiving dinner, without the hours of prep and stovetop cooking. This dinner is just about the best thing to happen to hungry, time-starved cooks.

Take a large baking sheet, add turkey, seasonings and vegetables, then roast until the meat is juicy and the vegetables are crispy and browned. Did I mention that cleanup takes less than two minutes? Throw away the sheet of parchment paper and place any leftovers in the fridge. Done and done.

If your meat section doesn’t have skin-on turkey breasts available, ask at the butcher. Most places that grind their turkey meat in-house use this type of cut to do so and should be able to supply you with a small breast portion. If you decide to use a breast that still contains the bone, you will likely need to increase the cooking time till done.

Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds skin-on turkey breast

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

6 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, crushed

1 butternut squash, peeled, diced and seeds removed, roughly 4 cups

24 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Gently loosen skin from turkey breasts and rub butter under skin and all over outside of breasts; season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Scatter thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs and garlic over a large, parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange turkey breasts, skin-side up, on top. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

While the turkey is cooking, toss the butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with olive oil and a pinch of salt and ground pepper.

Remove the turkey from oven after 20 minutes and arrange the vegetables on the same baking sheet, trying to create as even a layer as possible.

Roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F.

Remove from pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Slice breast and serve with roasted vegetables.

Per serving: Calories 398; Fat 14 g; Cholesterol 105 mg; Sodium 492 mg; Potassium 971 mg; Carbohydrate 29 g; Fiber 7.3 g; Protein 45 g

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Alex Caspero MA, RD, RYT is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher. She is the founder of Delish Knowledge, a resource for healthy, whole-food vegetarian recipes. In her private coaching practice, she helps individuals find their "Happy Weight."

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