Chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes
By Henny Shor, Jerusalem Post, August 1, 2026
By now, you know how much I love keeping dinner simple. Sheet-pan dinners are some of my favorites because everything cooks together, cleanup is easy, and there is always room to experiment with different vegetables and spices.
Sometimes the same ingredients can taste completely different depending on how they are seasoned. Here, I use cinnamon to add a subtle sweetness and warmth to the chicken and vegetables. Ceylon cinnamon, sometimes called “true cinnamon,” has a more delicate flavor, but whatever cinnamon you have on hand will work beautifully. Cinnamon contains beneficial plant compounds, although I love it most for how it adds so much flavor without needing a heavy sauce.
Sweet potatoes and broccoli work wonderfully together. Sweet potatoes provide fiber and beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, while broccoli adds fiber and vitamin C.
The boneless, skinless chicken brings lean protein to the pan, turning the vegetables into a complete and hearty meal. Protein becomes especially important as we age because it helps support and maintain muscle strength.
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Place the sweet potatoes and broccoli on the prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, honey, and sesame seeds.
Pour half of the mixture over the vegetables and toss well to coat. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Brush the remaining mixture over the chicken and keep refrigerated while the vegetables bake.
After 20 minutes, move the vegetables to both sides of the pan, leaving space in the center. Place the chicken in the center of the baking sheet.
Lower the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

