Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

If you ask me, a good sheet pan dinner is one of the best things you can make on a busy weeknight.

This roasted chicken and vegetables recipe is a simple, hands-off meal that practically cooks itself. Tender chicken pieces roast alongside potatoes, carrots, and whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Everything gets tossed with olive oil and seasonings, then spread out on a single pan. The chicken comes out juicy while the vegetables get nicely browned and caramelized at the edges.

It’s an easy dinner that works for the whole family, plus cleanup is a breeze with just one pan to wash.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the star of this recipe, and they’re honestly the best choice for roasting with vegetables. The bone helps the meat stay juicy during the longer cooking time, while the skin gets crispy and golden in the oven. If you can only find boneless, skinless thighs, they’ll still work, but keep an eye on them since they’ll cook faster and can dry out more easily. You could also swap in chicken drumsticks or even a mix of thighs and drumsticks if that’s what you have on hand – just make sure all the pieces are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Baby potatoes: Regular russet or red potatoes work great too. Just cut them into 1-inch chunks so they cook evenly with the chicken.
• Chicken thighs: You can use chicken drumsticks or a mix of thighs and drumsticks if that’s what you have. Bone-in, skin-on pieces are best here since they stay juicy during roasting, but boneless thighs will work in a pinch – just reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes.
• Fresh herbs for dried: If you have fresh basil, thyme, or rosemary, use about three times the amount called for in dried herbs. Add fresh herbs during the last 15 minutes of roasting to keep their flavor bright.
• Vegetables: This is a great place to use up what’s in your fridge. Try parsnips instead of carrots, sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, or add bell peppers and zucchini. Just keep the pieces roughly the same size so everything cooks at the same rate.
• Olive oil: Avocado oil or melted butter can stand in for olive oil without any issues.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Roasting

The biggest mistake when roasting chicken and vegetables together is crowding the pan, which causes everything to steam instead of getting that nice golden-brown exterior – make sure to use a large enough baking sheet and spread everything in a single layer with some space between pieces.

Another common error is cutting your vegetables too small, as baby potatoes and carrots need to be roughly the same size as the chicken thighs to cook evenly, otherwise you’ll end up with mushy veggies and undercooked chicken.

To get crispy chicken skin, pat the thighs completely dry with paper towels before seasoning and make sure the skin side faces up during roasting – any moisture on the surface will prevent that crispy texture everyone loves.

Finally, don’t skip checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, as bone-in chicken thighs need to reach 175°F (not just 165°F like breasts) to be tender and fully cooked.

What to Serve With Roasted Chicken and Vegetables?

Since this dish already has potatoes and veggies built right in, you’ve got a complete meal on your hands, but a simple side salad with a light vinaigrette is always a nice addition. I love serving this with some crusty bread or dinner rolls to soak up all those tasty pan juices from the chicken and roasted vegetables. If you want to add something green, steamed green beans or sautéed spinach work perfectly without making the meal feel too heavy. For a heartier spread, you could also add a quick cucumber and tomato salad or some buttered corn on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover roasted chicken and vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the chicken and veggies together since they taste great mixed up anyway. This makes for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week!

Freeze: You can freeze the chicken and vegetables separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Just let everything cool completely first, then portion it out however works best for you. I find that freezing individual servings makes weeknight dinners super easy.

Reheat: Warm everything up in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through, or use the microwave for a quicker option. The chicken skin won’t be quite as crispy as when it was fresh, but it still tastes delicious. If you want to crisp up the skin, pop it under the broiler for a minute or two.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 90-110 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 120-140 g

Ingredients

For the vegetables:

• 1 red onion (cut into wedges)
• 2 large carrots (cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 24 oz baby potatoes (cut in half if large)

For the seasoning blend:

• 1/4 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

For the chicken:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb, pat dry for crispier skin)

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

• 24 oz baby potatoes (cut in half if large)
• 2 large carrots (cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 1 red onion (cut into wedges)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Wash and cut the baby potatoes in half (or into 1-inch pieces if they are large).

Peel and cut the carrots into 2-inch pieces.

Peel the red onion and cut it into wedges.

Mince the garlic cloves.

Step 2: Mix the Herb Seasoning

• 1/4 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, dried basil, dried rosemary, dried thyme, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and ground black pepper.

Stir until the mixture is well combined.

I like to use extra virgin olive oil for richer flavor.

Step 3: Season the Vegetables

• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• half of the seasoning mixture from Step 2

Place the prepared vegetables from Step 1 into a large bowl.

Drizzle half of the seasoning mixture from Step 2 over the vegetables.

Toss thoroughly until the vegetables are evenly coated, then transfer them to a 9×13-inch or larger casserole dish.

Step 4: Season the Chicken

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb, pat dry for crispier skin)
• remaining seasoning mixture from Step 2

Pat the chicken thighs dry to help the skin crisp up during roasting.

Place the chicken thighs into the same bowl and pour the remaining seasoning mixture over them.

Toss the chicken until well coated, then nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables in the casserole dish, ensuring the chicken is not covered by vegetables.

Step 5: Roast the Chicken and Vegetables

Roast the chicken and vegetables in the preheated 425ºF oven for 40 minutes.

Then, remove the casserole dish from the oven and carefully stir the vegetables.

Spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the dish over the chicken for extra flavor, then return the dish to the oven.

Roast for an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken skin is golden brown and crispy and the vegetables are browned and caramelized.

Serve hot.