January 18, 2017

Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

If you’re in the market for a reliable, disappointment-proof recipe, these honey garlic chicken thighs are it.

Cooked on a single sheet pan surrounded by a sea of rustic veggies, this dinner isn’t just the easiest meal ever. It’s the kind of recipe every busy chick needs, and I’m here to give it to you stat.

Chicken thighs get a bad rap for being unhealthy, and truthfully they do contain a lot of fat. But when eaten sporadically thighs are actually a smart way to diversify your diet. That’s because they’re high in monounsaturated fat, aka: “the good stuff”. They also have a ton of protein, are super easy to cook, and in many instances, are actually cheaper than chicken breasts. So frankly there are TONS of reasons to be eating them, least of which is that they taste downright incredible.

I like to start by trimming the chicken thighs of any excess fat, then coating them in salt & pepper. It’s worth noting that chicken skin shrinks while cooking, so if you take this step some of the thighs won’t be entirely covered in skin (if you really inspect my pics, you’ll see). Regardless, when you’re ready place the thighs skin-side down on a heated sheet pan, then bake for 15 minutes. While the skin crisps all of its juicy, delicious fat will begin to render. That fat then expands throughout the pan to flavor the potatoes, parnsips, and brussels sprouts! It’s a magical little process, and it happens without you doing a thing.

After the first 15 minutes flip the chicken skin-side up, then drizzle everything with the honey-garlic butter. The sweet, garlicky butter perfectly balances out the pan’s savory notes, so consider it a crescendo of deliciousness. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes until everything is crisp and golden, and that’s it!

Farm-to-table taste, with barely any effort.

Any number of root vegetables would work well here, but baby red potatoes, parnsips, and brussels sprouts are my favorite trio. Their unique combination of soft-nutty-earthy lends a deeply rich flavor that’s balanced in taste & texture, plus they absorb the honey-garlic butter + rendered chicken fat like a dream. Throughout roasting the veggies become lightly caramelized, leaving them soft and supple with just enough crisp and bite. And while the vegetables tenderize the chicken thighs do the same, cooking up to almost impossibly juicy results.

Add to that a shell of skin that comes out crisp, crackling, and golden, and there’s officially nothing not to love about this work-week ready dish. xo

Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 50 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes
10 oz parsnips, peeled
10 oz brussels sprouts
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in
a few generous dashes of salt & pepper
2 1/2 tbsps salted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsps crushed or minced garlic
a few drizzles of honey

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Place a large-rimmed baking sheet in the oven while heating.
On a cutting board halve and quarter the potatoes, parsnips, and brussels sprouts — For tips on cutting the parsnips, check out this recipe. Place the potatoes and parsnips in one bowl, leaving the brussels sprouts in a separate one.
Amply season the chicken thighs, potatoes, parsnips, and brussels sprouts with salt and pepper. Next, once the oven is heated place the chicken skin-side down on the hot baking sheet. Add the potatoes and parsnips around the edges, then immediately return to the oven and roast on the oven middle rack for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine the butter, garlic, and honey, whisking until combined. Taste as you go while adding the honey to reach your desired level of sweetness.
When ready, remove the sheet pan from the oven and flip over the chicken so the skin is facing up. Add the brussels sprouts to the pan, then use a pastry brush to coat the chicken and vegetables with the honey garlic butter. Return to the oven and roast 15 minutes more until all ingredients are browned and golden. Cool slightly, then eat!

>> recipe adapted from the kitchn.