Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccolini
This is the recipe we cook more than any other in this book, and it's the one we'd give you if you only had time to learn one. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs render their fat onto a sheet pan of sweet potato wedges and broccolini, and everything gets golden and caramelized in about 35 minutes. The sweet potatoes drink up the chicken drippings and turn into something unreasonably good.
- PRO
- GF
- DF
- PF
- 1-PAN
- PREP
Estimated macros per serving
Calories ~460 · Protein ~32g · Carbs ~15g · Fat ~30g
Ingredients
For the chicken and vegetables:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch wedges
- 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and halved lengthwise if thick
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels (this is non-negotiable for crispy skin), and season generously on both sides with the spice mixture, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub to coat.
- Toss the sweet potato wedges with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the smashed garlic cloves. Spread them in a single layer on the sheet pan, leaving room for the chicken.
- Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up among the sweet potatoes. Make sure they aren't sitting on top of each other, everything needs airflow.
- Roast for 20 minutes. The sweet potatoes should be starting to turn golden at the edges and the chicken skin should be tightening.
- Pull the pan out and scatter the broccolini around and between everything. Drizzle the broccolini with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 15–18 minutes, until the chicken skin is deep golden and crisp, the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, and the broccolini is charred at the tips. The chicken must register at least 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh on an instant-read thermometer — this step is non-negotiable. For extra-tender meat, 175°F (79°C) is even better.
- Zest the lemon over the pan, then squeeze the juice over everything. Let rest on the pan for 5 minutes before serving. The roasted garlic cloves are wonderful mashed over the chicken or sweet potatoes before eating.
Variations & Notes
- Vegan Swap: Replace the chicken with 1 block of extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into thick slabs, seasoned and oiled the same way. It won't render fat like chicken, so add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the sweet potatoes. Roast the tofu and sweet potatoes together for 25 minutes, then add broccolini and roast 12 minutes more.
- Extra Hungry: Add a second sweet potato and pile your plate high. Or serve over a scoop of white rice (Adam's move).
- Substitutions: Regular broccoli florets work great in place of broccolini. Butternut squash cubes are excellent instead of sweet potato. Boneless, skinless thighs work but reduce cook time by about 5 minutes and know the skin situation won't exist.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat on a sheet pan at 400°F for 8–10 minutes: the microwave makes the chicken skin sad.