Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs

Crispy, savory, and oh-so delicious, these sheet pan chicken thighs with roasted root vegetables make for a scrumptious and rustic dinner. Prepared with juicy, seasoned chicken thighs nestled atop potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, and rutabaga, this recipe is not only healthy, but absolutely mouthwatering!

Let your sheet pan do all the work

A good sheet pan meal is one of my most beloved “quick and easy” dinners to whip up for us when we're craving something on the rustic side, loaded with flavor and texture.

When we're hankering for something a bit more smoky, I'll put together this easy sheet pan sausage and veggies recipe, brimming with colorful peppers and onions to go along with that flavorful sausage.

But when it's herby chicken that sounds enticing, we're all about this sheet pan chicken thighs recipe for some colorful, perfect-for-autumn fare.

Over the years I've learned to really lean into and love chicken thighs, because they're so juicy and tender, not to mention very rich and flavorful. I love how versatile they can be, perfect for a sheet pan recipe like this one, where you layer everything into the pan and roast it all together.

When seasoned liberally and placed atop an array of root veggies like potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, and rutabagas, the chicken thighs crisp up and slowly release a little bit of delicious fat onto those root veggies, making them extra savory and delicious!

This recipe is absolutely a favorite when I'm short on time and energy, yet craving something cozy, comforting, and nourishing. It's definitely one to keep on hand and whip up often as the months grow cooler.

My recipe for sheet pan chicken thighs with root vegetables

Keeping things simple for this recipe is the way to go, but that doesn't mean it can't be super flavorful and wonderfully earthy.

While the skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are the stars here, liberally sprinkled with spices before joining the veggies on the sheet pan, the root vegetables are equally important. They bring texture, heartiness, and earthiness to this sheet pan recipe.

I opt for classic potatoes and onions, but also include sweet and colorful vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and rutabaga, all cut into larger chunks. A few cloves of whole garlic are scattered throughout, which will roast and become nicely sweet and savory.

Tossed with good olive oil, herbs, and spices, the vegetables are then spread out onto the sheet pan, and the seasoned chicken thighs are placed on top. Everything then goes into the oven to roast until golden-brown and tender.

Before serving, I top everything with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, rosemary and/or parsley, and then it's time to plate up!

Here's a glance at my sheet pan chicken thighs recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I season my roughly chopped veggies and turn them out onto a sheet pan lined with lightly oiled foil.
2. Next, I season my chicken thighs liberally, and nestle them on top of the veggies.
3. I then place everything into the oven to roast for roughly 50 minutes.
4. When the sheet pan chicken thighs and vegetables are done and out of the oven, I drizzle on a little extra olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs before serving.

Recipe

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This sheet pan chicken thighs recipe with an array of colorful vegetables is the perfect rustic and cozy weeknight meal made easy!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 575 calories (per serving)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into large slices or chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large slices or chunks
• 2 pounds baby yellow potatoes, halved (or quartered if larger)
• 1 large white onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Fresh thyme, rosemary or parsley (or combination), for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°, and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
3. Next, make your seasoning mixture by adding the Italian seasoning, the granulated garlic and onion, plus the paprika to a ramekin, and mix together to combine. Set aside for a moment.
4. Turn your rutabaga, parsnip, carrots, potatoes and onion out onto the prepared sheet pan in an even layer, and drizzle liberally with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), sprinkle with a few very generous pinches of salt and pepper, and sprinkle over about 2 teaspoons worth of the seasoning mixture as evenly as possible.
5. Next, add the chicken thighs into a large bowl, and drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil, add a couple of very generous pinches of salt and pepper, and sprinkle in the remainder of the seasoning mixture. Use your hands to rub the seasoning into the chicken thighs.
6. Nestle the chicken thighs over top of the vegetables in the sheet pan, and roast for roughly 50 to 55 minutes, until the chicken is deeply browned and crispy, and the potatoes are tender.
7. To finish, add another small drizzle of olive oil over everything for enrichment, then sprinkle over some of your fresh thyme, rosemary or parsley (or combination of herbs), and serve.

Tips & Tidbits for my sheet pan chicken thighs recipe:

• Opt for organic skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs if you can: I've found that the flavor and aroma of organic chicken is just better. So if you can, opt for organic. Also, make sure you use skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs here, as that's where all the rich flavor is!
• An array of vegetables for flavor and texture: While you can use your favorite veggies here, I really love potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips and rutabaga, plus a few cloves of garlic. They offer some sweet and savory earthiness, and taste really great with the roasted chicken thighs. Other tasty options are Brussels sprouts, turnips, a few cherry tomatoes, even butternut squash, but the latter two should be added a little later into the roasting (maybe after 25 minutes), because they roast and become soft much quicker.
• Prep sheet pan chicken thighs ahead: You can season and arrange all of the vegetables and chicken on the sheet pan, then just wrap it all in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to roast for dinner. Allow everything to come to room temp for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before roasting, ideally.

Hungry for more rustic and cozy meals? Check out my recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs, Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies, Braised Chicken with Andouille Sausage, Harissa Chicken, Balsamic Chicken, or even my recipe for Chicken Pot Roast!