A sheet pan dinner is a glorious thing: vegetables and protein (perhaps a potato or two) roast together on one or two baking sheets while you finish the dishes, pour a glass of wine, and set the table.
But they often lack flavor, texture, and personality. 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.
This sheet pan chicken dinner helped me understand what Melissa Clark is always buzzing about.
By roasting bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (or thighs) with chopped broccoli, leeks, and scallions, the fat from the protein flavors the vegetables while the high heat turns the chicken golden and the vegetables bronze.
A garlicky sauce (a glorified ranch, really) and fresh herbs keep the dish bright, interesting, and irresistible.
It’s the perfect healthy and hearty dinner.
A few tips on the sheet pan dinner
The key to a successful sheet pan meal is cutting your vegetables into equally-sized pieces so that they will roast at the same rate. If you cut the leeks and scallions too finely, they might burn.
Another tip: 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.
I like this dish with bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts; they stay juicy and succulent throughout the cooking process whereas boneless, skinless cuts almost always dry out.
Chicken legs or thighs will work wonderfully too.
I plan to make a version of sheet pan chicken all year, varying the ingredients based on the season. I’ll try cauliflower and chickpeas, eggplant and red onions, whatever seasonal produce or legumes I’m craving.
I might even switch up the sauce, although it’s so good I probably shouldn’t mess with it (at least, that’s what my sister says).
Each time I’ve made this, I also threw a couple sweet potatoes in the oven to complete the meal. The sauce tastes great on starches, too, so feel free to drizzle it over everything on your plate with abandon.
Just don’t expect leftovers.
An easy sheet pan chicken dinner made extra special by an irresistible sauce. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Add broccoli, scallions, and leeks (if using) to pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil, toss with salt and pepper. Take a bite of broccoli and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Nestle chicken into the vegetables and pat dry with a paper towel (this helps to encourage browning). Season the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast chicken and vegetables, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes total, or until the internal temp of the chicken is about 160F (it should rise to 165F as it rests). Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, agave, granulated onion, granulated garlic, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and water in a small bowl. Season with black pepper and more salt if needed. Let the chicken rest at least 10 minutes before cutting out the bone, or just serving it as is if your family doesn’t care. Drizzle the finished product with the ranch sauce and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy! The broccoli and leeks/scallions will char naturally because 30 minutes at 425F is longer than you "should" cook them, but turns out those blacked bits are the best. If the chicken isn't browned enough or the veg isn't charred to your liking, hit everything with the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes of cooking.Sheet Pan Chicken with Charred Veggies and Ranch
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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