- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 600 g
- 4 tbsp
- 4 cloves
- 2 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 2 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
Process
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Heat the oven to 220°C with a rack in the upper-middle position. Line a large rimmed sheet pan (about 45 x 33 cm) with parchment paper or leave it bare for crisper edges.
In a small bowl, stir together 3 tbsp olive oil, the grated garlic, smoked paprika, dried oregano, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, then rub them all over with the spiced oil, working some under the skin. Let them sit at room temperature while you cut the vegetables.
In a large bowl, toss the baby potatoes and carrots with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
Spread the potatoes and carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan, leaving space between pieces. Nestle the chicken thighs among them, skin-side up, without crowding the pan.
Roast for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the broccoli florets with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice in the same bowl used for the potatoes.
Pull the pan out, scatter the broccoli around the chicken, and spoon any pan juices over the vegetables. Rotate the pan and roast for 10 to 12 more minutes.
The dish is done when the chicken skin is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 74°C, and the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. If the skin needs more color, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over everything and rest the pan for 5 minutes before serving straight from the pan.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is crowding the pan: if the vegetables overlap or the chicken sits in a puddle, they steam instead of roast. Use the largest rimmed pan you own, or split everything between two pans.
- Dry the chicken skin thoroughly before rubbing it with oil. Any surface moisture turns to steam and prevents the skin from crisping, which is the whole point of a sheet pan dinner.
- Cut potatoes and carrots to roughly the same 2 cm size so they finish at the same time as the chicken. Broccoli goes in late because it would burn during the full 35 minutes.
- If your chicken thighs are very large (over 200 g each), add 5 minutes to the first roast and check the internal temperature rather than relying on time alone.
Substitutions
- chicken thighs→bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks (same weight, add 5 minutes to the first roast)
- baby potatoes→sweet potatoes cut into 2 cm cubes (roast 5 minutes longer before adding chicken)
- broccoli→cauliflower florets or thick zucchini half-moons
- smoked paprika→sweet paprika plus a pinch of ground cumin
- olive oil→avocado oil or any neutral high-heat oil
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 1 hour, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken and vegetables together; the juices keep the meat from drying out. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 10 to 12 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken reaches 74°C, or microwave single portions for 2 to 3 minutes, though the skin will soften. Do not freeze the roasted broccoli, as it turns mushy; the chicken and root vegetables can be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my sheet pan chicken and vegetables come out soggy?
The pan was almost certainly overcrowded or the vegetables were still wet from washing. Vegetables release steam as they roast, and if they touch each other that steam gets trapped and boils them instead of browning them. Dry everything well, use a large rimmed pan, and spread the pieces in a single layer with a little space between them.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but use bone-in, skin-on breasts and start checking at 20 minutes, since lean breast meat dries out faster than thighs. The safe internal temperature is still 74°C. If you only have boneless skinless breasts, rub them with oil, roast them for 18 to 22 minutes, and add the broccoli at the same time so it does not overcook.
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?
The only reliable test is an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone; it should read 74°C. The juices should also run clear when you pierce the meat, and the skin should be deeply browned. If you do not have a thermometer, cut into the thickest thigh at the bone; there should be no pink and no translucent meat.
Can I prep this sheet pan dinner ahead of time?
You can toss the chicken with the spiced oil and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours, and cut the vegetables up to 1 day ahead, storing them in water in the fridge. Pat the vegetables dry before roasting. Assemble everything on the pan just before it goes into the oven so the salt does not draw moisture out of the vegetables and make them soggy.
Why did my vegetables burn while the chicken was still raw?
The vegetables were cut too small, or they were placed on the lower rack too close to the heating element. Keep all pieces at least 2 cm thick, put the pan on the upper-middle rack, and add quick-cooking vegetables like broccoli only for the last 10 to 12 minutes. If the vegetables brown too fast, tent just that area with foil.
Can I add other vegetables to this recipe?
Yes, but group them by cooking time. Firm vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and butternut squash go in at the start. Tender ones like broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes go in for the last 10 to 12 minutes. Very wet vegetables like mushrooms and tomatoes should be given extra space so they roast rather than steam.
How long do leftovers keep and how should I reheat them?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 10 to 12 minutes, uncovered, so the chicken and potatoes re-crisp, or microwave individual portions for 2 to 3 minutes if you do not mind softer skin. Reheat until the chicken is steaming hot all the way through, 74°C.
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