Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner
Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner is a whole meal made with seasoned turkey tenderloins, a homemade velvety gravy with a side of candied sweet potatoes, and some cheesy garlic green beans!
A THANKSGIVING DINNER ON ONE SHEET PAN
I absolutely adore this Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner. It’s especially great during the fall time and I love that it can be made for Thanksgiving since it has all those favorite Thanksgiving flavors. Whether you are a couple who just doesn’t want to do a whole big dinner just for the holidays or maybe you are just craving those Thanksgiving flavors (without the Thanksgiving exhaustion!) then this is exactly what you need! Having it all cook on one baking sheet helps when you don’t feel like figuring out oven timing and bakeware for each dish and side and it helps reduce extra time cleaning up at the end of the night. It’s a semi-quick dinner recipe where it all comes together and hits the table in under an hour!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Certainly, you can. Just account for how long it may take you to make that when needed. You can use whatever gravy you prefer (jarred, packet, etc.)
I used a 13×18-inch sheet pan with edges. The edges are helpful in making sure that none of the juices that come from the turkey fall off the pan and make a mess in your oven. You could also use (2) 9×13-inch pans using one for the turkey and one for the vegetables.
Yes, this can be done with chicken instead of turkey tenderloins. I’ve only tested this recipe with turkey tenderloins, but know that both turkey and chicken breasts are considered done when the internal temperature reaches 165F. So, if you swap for chicken, check on the internal temp first.
If you use a casserole dish you won’t have enough room for everything. However, you could either half the recipe or use 2 casserole dishes. If you use two, put the vegetables in one casserole dish and the turkey in the other and cook as directed.
I don’t recommend trying this with bone in turkey breasts since the timing would be off since a bone-in takes longer to cook. If you can find boneless turkey breasts that’s what I would suggest. Again, I’ve only tested this with turkey tenderloins, so if you choose to change it up, I don’t have a cooking time recommendation, you’ll have to use your best judgement. My suggestion is to stick to the turkey tenderloins since the whole point of a sheet pan recipe is for it all to be cooked at the same time.
Check to see if your grocery store has turkey breast tenderloins. The most common brand is Butterball (not a paid link) and they usually come in a package of two. Some specialty brands may be available and they tend to be sold as one large one, that I would suggest cutting in half if needed. You’ll want about two pounds of turkey tenderloins total.
Usually during this time of year, a lot of grocery stores have started to sell already diced sweet potatoes as a way to help some people cut down on prep time, but just know that that is a more expensive option.
Sure. Instead of 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, you can use about 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary. Instead of ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme, you can use an 1/8th teaspoon of dried thyme. Just remember that dried herbs are more potent than fresh so start with a little and add more as necessary. I do think you’ll really love what the fresh herbs bring to this though.
If you’re out of parchment paper, don’t sweat it! You can lightly spray your pan with cooking spray or lightly grease your pan with butter. Both options will decrease your risk of having your meal stick to the pan.
Making this one pan turkey dinner ahead of time and freezing it can really help you to save time on the day you plan to serve or ensure that you have leftovers when you want them even months down the road. Simply prepare everything as directed and allow it to cool on the counter until completely cool but no longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours, bacteria that causes foodborne illness can start to grow. Move your turkey dinner to plastic resealable bags or an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat covered in the oven until warmed through.
All your leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator. Wrap your leftovers with plastic wrap, seal in a resealable bag or place into an airtight container. Your leftovers will stay fresh and your turkey will retain its moisture for 3-4 days. After that, you’ll want to move your leftovers to the freezer if you wish to keep them longer.
Reheat individual servings 2-3 minutes in the microwave. You can also preheat an oven to 350°F and place your leftovers on a sheet pan and cook for 10-15 minutes. Always test to see if your turkey has reached 165°F before consuming.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- sweet potatoes – I give some more tips above. This recipe was only tested with fresh sweet potatoes. I know some stores sell frozen but those may not cook evenly with everything else on this dish so I honestly cannot give you a recommendation on using frozen.
- salted butter – You can use unsalted butter and just add a pinch of salt.
- dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar would work here too. I love the deeper molasses flavor of the dark brown but light works great too.
- cinnamon and nutmeg – Cinnamon and nutmeg can be replaced by apple pie spice.
- mini marshmallows – Marshmallow fluff is also a good substitute.
- chopped pecans – if you don’t like nuts, just leave them off.
- green beans -again, I tested this only with fresh vegetables. I have not tested with canned or frozen. I really hate for anyone to waste ingredients because I said it was ok to do so. I created this recipe to specifically be times to all cook together and have it all be cooked and done at the same time. If you try it with canned or frozen, you will have to experiment on your own. Please let me know if you try it though!
- olive oil – Any neutral oil like avocado or vegetable would also work here.
- garlic powder – Fresh garlic could also be used. I’d probably use one or two minced garlic cloves (depending on how much of a garlic flavor you enjoy).
- shredded colby jack cheese – optional and can also be swapped out for a different option. Use your favorite cheese here. Cheddar, mozzarella or pepperjack are all great options.
- bacon – cooked and crumbled. If you have real bacon pieces on hand, you could use those.
- turkey tenderloins – about 1.5-2 pounds in total is what you want. I’ve only tested this recipe using turkey tenderloins. I haven’t tired it with a bone-in turkey and I wouldn’t recommend it as it would take longer than anything else on the sheet pan to cook and that would defeat the purpose of this sheet pan meal. However, you could theoretically swap the turkey for boneless chicken breasts and cook for a similar time as long as the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165F to be cooked properly. Use your meat thermometer to ensure the meat is safe to eat before serving. If making any swaps or substitutions, cooking times may vary from what I suggested.
- poultry seasoning – Italian seasoning would also be yummy.
- fresh rosemary and fresh thyme – see my Frequently Asked Questions above for using dried herbs.
- onion powder
- garlic – you can use garlic powder as well. This is for the green beans. You could use about half a teaspoon to a teaspoon (depending on how much garlic you enjoy.)
- cornstarch – this is just used to thicken the gravy. You could use flour too.
- turkey broth – could be swapped out for chicken broth or vegetable broth.
HOW TO MAKE SHEET PAN TURKEY DINNER
Preheat. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a largesheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the sweet potatoes. In a medium bowl, mix sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg and set aside.
Prepare the green beans. In another bowl, coat the green beans with oil, salt and garlic powder and set aside.
Season the turkey. In a small bowl mix poultry seasoning, salt, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Rub all sides of the turkey with olive oil and then season the turkey with the seasoning mix before placing in the center of the sheet pan.
Arrange on the pan, the sweet potato mixture and green bean mixture above and below the turkey tenderloins.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Top the sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pecans and the green beans with cheese and bacon. Bake again for 6 minutes or until the cheese and marshmallows are melted.
Check the temperature. Make sure the turkey reaches an internal temperature 165°F before removing it from the oven. If it hasn’t reached temperature, take the green beans and potatoes off the pan and continue baking the turkey.
Make the gravy. While the turkey and vegetables cook, use a medium saucepan to heat the butter. Add the poultry seasoning, onion powder, and garlic. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and broth and add to the pan. Whisk until thick (2-3 minutes).
Garnish. Garnish the turkey with parsley pour on gravy.
Serve. Serve dinner and enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes:
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, cubed
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar (can use light brown)
- ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
Green beans:
- ½ pound green beans, ends trimmed
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese (optional)
- 5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
Turkey:
- 2 turkey tenderloins (about 1.5-2 pounds)
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Gravy:
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup turkey broth (or chicken broth)
For garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix 1 pound sweet potatoes, cubed, ¼ cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, ½ Tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and set aside.
- In another bowl, coat ½ pound green beans, ends trimmed with ½ Tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Rub all sides of 2 turkey tenderloins the with ½ Tablespoon olive oil and then season the turkey with the seasoning mix before placing in the center of the sheet pan.
- Arrange on the pan, the sweet potato mixture and green bean mixture above and below the turkey tenderloins.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Top the sweet potatoes with 1 cup mini marshmallows and 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans and the green beans with ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese and 5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled. Bake again for 6 minutes or until the cheese and marshmallows are melted.
- Check the temperature. Make sure the turkey reaches an internal temperature 165°F before removing it from the oven. If it hasn't reached temperature, take the green beans and potatoes off the pan and continue baking the turkey.
- While the turkey and vegetables cook, use a medium saucepan to heat 3 Tablespoons salted butter. Add 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder and ¼ teaspoon garlic. In a small bowl, mix1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1 cup turkey broth and add to the pan. Whisk until thick (2-3 minutes).
- When everything is ready, garnish the turkey with chopped parsley (optional) and serve with gravy.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- I purchased a two pack of Turkey Tenderloins (not a paid link) at Walmart.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This was great. The family loved it.
I love Turkey it’s amazing. Can’t wait to make this again.
Hope you love it!!