These easy sheet pan chicken thighs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and are ready in under 45 minutes! Crispy chicken thighs, tender potatoes, and caramelized onions are baked together on one sheet pan for maximum flavor and minimal fuss.
Mid-week chaos calls for easy, delicious meals with minimal cleanup. That’s where this sheet-pan chicken recipe shines! Toss chicken thighs and your favorite veggies onto a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and let the magic happen. You’ll have a crispy, delicious dinner in no time.
For more sheet pan dinners, see our brown sugar baked salmon with green beans! Or, if you prefer a hands-off approach, these easy slow cooker chicken thighs are a lifesaver.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: I use skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. I’ve also made it with drumsticks and chicken breasts with great results. When using skin-on chicken, I prefer searing it before adding it to the baking sheet for a bit of extra color.
- Potatoes and Red Onion: You can add whatever veggies you like to the sheet pan, but I love potatoes and red onion. The potatoes become tender, and the onion turns soft and sweet. For more inspiration, think about sweet potatoes or cubed winter squash instead of potatoes. I also love roasted cabbage, so adding some chopped cabbage to the sheet pan is also great!
- Olive Oil and Seasonings: I use olive or avocado oil so the chicken and veggies brown nicely. Then, I keep the seasoning really simple, but you can have a lot of fun here. I use salt, pepper, and garlic in the recipe below, but you can use your favorite spice blends instead. Think Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, and more!
- Greens: As the sheet pan comes out of the oven, I toss some baby spinach or arugula around the chicken. They wilt slightly from the heat of the chicken and veggies and get dressed in the pan juices.
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
These sheet pan chicken thighs are quick and easy. You will need about 10 minutes to prep, and then toss chicken thighs, potatoes, and onions onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven until crispy.
Before baking them, we season the chicken thighs and potatoes with salt and pepper. Then, for extra flavor, we toss in some minced garlic towards the end of the baking time (adding the garlic later prevents it from burning in the oven and turning bitter).
We bake the chicken thighs in a 425°F oven for about 35 minutes. This bake time is perfect for roasting vegetables along with the chicken.
Then, I toss some greens onto the sheet pan just before serving. The heat from the baked chicken thighs and potatoes will wilt them down a little. Easy, and dinner is made all in one pan!
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Our easy sheet pan chicken thighs recipe is fuss-free and perfect for busy nights. We keep the seasoning simple, but feel free to throw your favorite spice blend on top of the chicken and potatoes.
You Will Need
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 1 ½ pounds
8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 medium)
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 teaspoons olive oil or avocado oil
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups fresh arugula leaves or baby spinach
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet (sheet pan) with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2Trim excess skin and pat chicken dry, then generously season with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper on both sides.
3Spread potatoes and onions on the prepared baking sheet and toss with one teaspoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
4Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs, skin-side facing up, between the potatoes and onions. Bake the chicken and potatoes for 15 minutes.
5Meanwhile, toss minced garlic and the remaining teaspoon of oil in a small bowl. After 15 minutes of baking, scatter the garlic over the chicken thighs, potatoes, and onions. Continue to bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, or an internal thermometer reads 165°F (73°C) when inserted into the thigh, about 20 minutes more.
6Before serving, scatter arugula leaves over the chicken, potatoes, and onions.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Skinless chicken thighs or breasts: Follow the recipe as stated, but rub the skinless chicken with a teaspoon of oil before baking. After adding the garlic, continue to bake until the chicken is cooked through (this will take a bit less time than mentioned above for bone-in chicken thighs).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
It was easy and delicious. I had a nice yellow squash from my garden that I used instead of potato, checking occasionally to make sure it did not over cook.
I made this today and I love it was quick and convenient. I added a sweet potatoe to the vegetables on the tray and it was awesome. We opted not to put the arugula.
Simple but delicious! I added carrots for extra veggies and used spinach since the store was out of arugula today. The onions were extra sweet and added great flavor to the potatoes. Easy to make and really yummy! 5 stars
Any tips for preventing the minced garlic from turning a blue color? Thanks for a great recipe!