In this one-pan dinner, chicken thighs are roasted in a screaming hot oven over a bed of baby potatoes, garlic and kale. The chicken turns brown and crispy, and the vegetables soak up the juices, becoming tender, succulent and downright crave-worthy (yes, you will crave kale!). It’s a mouthwatering meal in only thirty minutes.
Comfort food season has begun!
As I’m writing this, I have a scarf around my neck with slippers on my feet. The leaves outside my window are changing from dull green to rusty yellow. And oh my g-d, October is just a few days away (what?!). September somehow slipped by without my even noticing, and now we’re moving headfirst into the season of comfort food. Yeeees. I made my first apple pie and roast chicken last weekend, and I can’t wait to dive into braises and stews. But when it comes to weeknight eating, I don’t have hours to spend simmering. That’s when I turn to sheetpan dinners. I throw a bunch of vegetables on a sheetpan, top them with chicken, fish or sausages, then roast away until everything is tender and ten-times-more-delicious by virtue of their mingling. Oh, and there’s only one pan to clean up! (Cue happy dance.)
One pan dinner: roasted chicken thighs
This is one of my very favorites. Chicken thighs (or you could use drumsticks) get roasted in a blazing hot oven, resulting in browned, crispy skin and juicy meat. Since the chicken is cooked right on top of potatoes, garlic and kale, it’s an easy one-stop-shop, err, one-stop-dinner. The potatoes soak up all of the juices, and the kale becomes wonderfully crispy around the edges (we usually have to fight for the kale, and if you knew my kids, you would understand how magical that statement is). You can serve the chicken and vegetables on their own with lemon wedges for spritzing, or you serve them with a smear of garlic aioli, which is one of my favorite things ever—it provides a cool, creamy counterpoint to the savory meat and vegetables.
Why hello, Fall; welcome home.
Get the recipe!
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes & Kale
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion , diced
- ½ pound Tuscan kale (about 1 small bunch), stems removed and discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds baby potatoes , halved, or 1½ pounds small red potatoes, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves , peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 bone-in , skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 lemon , cut into wedges, for serving
- Garlic aioli , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500˚F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, combine the onion, kale, potatoes, garlic and half of the thyme. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Transfer to the baking sheet and spread in an even layer.
- In the same bowl (no need to clean) add the chicken thighs, the remaining thyme, the paprika and lemon zest. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange the chicken, skin side up, on top of the vegetables.
- Roast the chicken for 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and gently stir the vegetables, then spread in an even layer. Rearrange the chicken on top. Roast 10-15 minutes longer, or until the chicken juices run clear and the skin is golden brown. Squeeze a wedge or two of fresh lemon juice over top. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the vegetables alongside. Serve with lemon wedges. For additional flavor, add a smear of garlic aioli.
Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Using a microplane, grate the garlic into the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and let sit 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Do Ahead: The aioli can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
I made this the other night and wow… what a heavenly combination that was LOVED by all- including my pickiest 3 and 5 year old. The magic, is that this dish got even better as leftovers, so good that my night year old asked to have it again! Thanks Nicki for another amazing recipe!
Hooray! This literally is making me dance right now. Thanks so much for sharing!
After making this dish for years, I need to share that my family and friends request this recipe the most out of any I’ve made or told them about. It’s so simple and so easy (including clean up, which is the best part). We usually double the kale and spread it over two baking sheets because the leftovers are just as delicious as the night we made it. It will continue to be a staple for years to come!
Hi Eileen, I’m so thrilled you (and your friends!) like the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!