One Pan Ranch Chicken with Veggies

A sheet pan dinner is an incredible thing: Veggies and protein roast together on a baking sheet while you do the dishes, pour a glass of wine, and set the table. But cooking all the elements of your dinner in the same pan, often with the same seasoning, can lend a utilitarian effect to the meal. It works, but it does not inspire. I wanted to have the best of both worlds (don’t we all?) — a sheet pan dinner that was both laid-back and loveable, like a cozy pair of joggers that are cute enough to wear in public. This One Pan Ranch Chicken, with crisp, caramelized veggies and a delicious, dip-able sauce, is that kind of dinner. Both worlds, here we come.

this recipe

Here’s how the (flavor) magic happens: Roasting chicken with chopped broccoli and carrots causes the fat from the protein to flavor the vegetables, while the heat from the oven turns the chicken golden and the vegetables bronze. A zingy homemade ranch sauce, fresh herbs, and a final squeeze of lemon keep the dish bright and perky, something that can often get lost in the lazy heat of the oven.

I plan to make a version of this sheet pan chicken all year, varying the ingredients based on the season. Try cauliflower and chickpeas in the winter, zucchini and red onions in the summer, leeks and leafy greens in the spring. Anything goes!

A few tips on the sheet pan dinner

• Cut your vegetables into equally-sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
• Don’t crowd the pan. If your ingredients are too close together, they will steam instead of crisp. If you’d really like to stuff more vegetables on the pan (I hear you), just finish cooking under the broiler— that should blast the ingredients with enough heat to get them golden brown. Better yet — just use two sheet pans.
• I like this dish with bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts because they stay juicy and succulent throughout the cooking process, but you can use boneless, skinless cuts if you’d prefer. Just drizzle them with a bit more olive oil because they lack natural fat. Chicken legs or thighs would work wonderfully too. Or a whole chicken!

Let’s make One Pan Ranch Chicken with Veggies

Add fresh broccoli and carrots to your sheet pan and season everything with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Take a bite and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and pat them dry with a paper towel (this helps to encourage browning). Season the chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides. Roast the chicken and vegetables for 45-50 minutes at 425°F, or until the internal temp of the chicken is about 165°F. 

Meanwhile, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, dried dill weed, granulated garlic, granulated onion, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a small bowl.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Transfer the chicken breast to a cutting board and let it rest at least 10 minutes. Turn the oven off, place the sheet pan with the vegetables (without the chicken) back in the oven to keep the vegetables warm while the chicken rests.

To serve, cut out the rib and breast bone and slice the chicken crosswise against the grain. Enjoy with the charred veggies and a dollop of ranch.

Print Recipe

One Pan Ranch Chicken with Veggies

(12 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

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Dinner – American

By Samantha – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 45 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Crisp roasted veggies and juicy chicken make the ideal weeknight dinner. Creamy homemade ranch takes it over the top!

Ingredients

• For the chicken and veggies:
• 6 cups broccoli, about 1 lb or 2 heads, cut into 2-inch long pieces
• 1 small bunch carrots, about 1 lb, cut into 2-inch long pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 3-4 lbs bone-in, skin on chicken (or 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken)
• For the ranch:
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 teaspoons fresh
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Garlic bread, cooked potatoes, or rice, for serving

Instructions

1

Heath the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets) with parchment. Add broccoli and carrots to pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil, toss with salt and pepper. Take a bite and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and pat them very dry with paper towels (this helps to encourage browning). Season the chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides. Roast the chicken and vegetables for about 45 minutes for bone-in, skin-on breasts (or about 30 minutes if you're using chicken thighs or boneless cuts), until the internal temp of the chicken is 165°F.

2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, dried dill weed, granulated garlic, granulated onion, red pepper flakes, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

3

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest 10 minutes (5 minutes for boneless cuts). Turn the oven off, place the sheet pan with the vegetables (without the chicken) back in the oven to keep the vegetables warm while the chicken rests.

4

To serve, cut out the rib and breast bone (if using chicken breasts) and slice the chicken crosswise against the grain. Enjoy with the roasted veggies, a dollop of ranch, a squeeze of lemon over everything, and bread, potatoes, or rice, if desired.

Nutrition

• 670 Calories

Notes

You should use a baking sheet large enough to fit all of the ingredients without crowding. If you do not have one that big, use two smaller ones. If the vegetables are too close together, they will steam instead of roast. Cut the carrots so they are about the same width of the broccoli florets. If you have very fat carrots, you might need to cut them in half lengthwise, then cut those halves lengthwise again. I love serving this with garlic bread or mashed potatoes.