Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: In our opinion, chicken thighs are the most delicious part of a chicken. Meaty, juicy, and flavorful, they are perfect for a sheet pan dinner. You can also use a combination of thighs and drumsticks or leg quarters (allow for extra cooking time). If you want a slightly more healthful choice, use boneless, skinless thighs, but cut your cooking time down a bit as you don’t want to dry them out.
- Fresh Brussels sprouts: It’s hard to beat the texture of roasted fresh Brussels sprouts, but you can get by with frozen for this dish. We recommend par-cooking them until barely tender in the microwave, then cutting them in half and adding them to the sheet pan with the apples to get a little caramelization on them for the finished dish.
- Sweet potatoes: We happen to like sweet potatoes in this recipe, but you could replace them with baby yellow potatoes or baby carrots. That’s the great thing about sheet pan dinners – they’re flexible.
- Granny Smith apples: The sweet flavor of roasted apples brings this dish together and makes it a favorite choice for an easy fall meal. Granny Smith is our top pick because they’re not overly sweet and hold their shape when cooked. That being said if you want to use a different variety, go ahead – the finished dish won’t suffer at all.
- Honey and balsamic vinegar: Combining equal parts honey and balsamic vinegar with pressed garlic makes a quick, easy, and flavorful glaze for roasting. If that flavor profile doesn’t appeal to you, try a blend of lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and garlic.
How To Make Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
This is an overview of how this dish is made. You’ll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Preheat the oven and coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Trim and halve the Brussels sprouts, arrange them on the baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour a little water into the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake until the Brussels sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife.
- While the Brussels sprouts cook, combine honey, balsamic vinegar, and pressed garlic in a bowl.
- Trim excess fat and skin from the chicken thighs and brush on both sides with the honey-balsamic mixture, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Season the sweet potatoes with salt and pepper and toss them in a little oil.
- Transfer the cooked Brussels sprouts to a bowl and set aside.
- Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up in the center of the baking sheet and scatter the sweet potatoes around them.
- Roast for 10 minutes, then brush the tops of the thighs with more of the honey-balsamic mix and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Add the apples to the Brussels sprouts, toss with the rest of the honey-balsamic mix then add to the baking sheet with the chicken and sweet potatoes.
- Continue roasting until the apples are tender and the chicken thighs are cooked through.
- Serve with a salad on the side if desired.
Expert Tips For Perfect Sheet Pan Dinners
Sheet pan dinners have become increasingly popular in recent years, and while they are easy to make and save on dishes, there is a method you should follow to ensure that each ingredient is cooked to perfection. Here are six expert tips for making a successful sheet pan dinner:
- Make every effort to cut your vegetables to a uniform size.
- Remember to season each ingredient separately, but don’t be too heavy-handed.
- First, determine the total cooking time for your protein, then calculate the cooking time for each of your other ingredients. This will help you plan when to add what.
- Consider pre-cooking certain vegetables, removing them from the pan, then adding them back near the end of the roasting time. This ensures that they’ll be properly cooked and gives them an opportunity to develop the caramelized quality you’re looking for in a sheet pan dinner.
- Make sure to create a sauce or glaze for your recipe. This helps retain moisture and add extra caramelization to all of your ingredients. If you don’t want a sauce, you can brush or toss your ingredients with olive oil or melted butter instead.
- Use the roasting time to clean any dishes you make during preparation, prepare a salad if you want, and set the table. This makes for quick and easy cleanup after dinner.
More Like This
The simple cooking techniques listed above are applied in three more easy sheet pan dinners for you to try. Check out our Mediterranean-style fish dinner with zucchini and tomatoes, tasty, fall-inspired combo of chicken sausage, potatoes, and apples, and easy salmon dinner with baby potatoes and green beans.
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Fall Veggies
This sheet pan chicken and veggie recipe combines honey-glazed chicken thighs, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and apples to make an easy one-pan meal.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on (about 1-3/4 lbs)
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and coat a half-size sheet pan with nonstick spray.
- Trim the ends and any loose outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Arrange them on the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water and cover the sheet pan with foil, sealing the edges. Bake until the Brussels sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife, 12 to 18 minutes (depending on size).
- While the sprouts bake, combine the honey, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Trim any excess fat and skin from the chicken thighs, pat dry, and lightly brush both sides with the honey-balsamic mixture. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, drizzle them with oil and toss until evenly coated.
- Once the Brussels sprouts are cooked, transfer them to a separate bowl and set aside. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up in the center of the sheet pan and scatter the sweet potatoes around them.
- Roast for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and brush the tops of the thighs with more of the honey-balsamic mixture. Continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the apples and remaining honey-balsamic mixture to the bowl with the Brussels sprouts. Combine well, then add them to the baking sheet along with the chicken and sweet potatoes.
- Roast for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the chicken thighs are cooked through. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Here are six expert tips for making a successful sheet pan dinner:
- Make every effort to cut your vegetables to a uniform size.
- Remember to season each ingredient separately, but don’t be too heavy-handed.
- First, determine the total cooking time for your protein, then calculate the cooking time for each of your other ingredients. This will help you plan when to add what.
- Consider pre-cooking certain vegetables, removing them from the pan, then adding them back near the end of the roasting time. This ensures that they’ll be properly cooked and gives them an opportunity to develop the caramelized quality you’re looking for in a sheet pan dinner.
- Make sure to create a sauce or glaze for your recipe. This helps retain moisture and add extra caramelization to all of your ingredients. If you don’t want a sauce, you can brush or toss your ingredients with olive oil or melted butter instead.
- Use the roasting time to clean any dishes you make during preparation, prepare a salad if you want, and set the table. This makes for quick and easy cleanup after dinner.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Fall Veggies
Amount per Serving
Calories
624
% Daily Value*
Fat
29
g
45
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
12
g
Cholesterol
166
mg
55
%
Sodium
371
mg
16
%
Potassium
1291
mg
37
%
Carbohydrates
61
g
20
%
Fiber
10
g
42
%
Sugar
31
g
34
%
Protein
34
g
68
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Vitamin A
17068
IU
341
%
Vitamin C
104
mg
126
%
Calcium
106
mg
11
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Emmy says
I made this the other night and in addition to the salt and pepper I sprinkled the chicken thighs with some Mrs. Dash. Even my kids loved it. Will make again.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Emmy,
Glad you and the kids enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for commenting.