This easy and flavorful chicken thigh tray bake comes together quickly and features the bounty of a fall harvest. Packed full of vegetables, potato and chicken, you’ll have a complete dinner all on a sheet pan.
I was inspired to make a simple chicken thigh tray bake after seeing all the fall vegetables displayed at my local farmer’s market. There’s just something about carrots and Brussels sprouts, onion and potato that just feels comforting. Also called “sheet pan” meals, tray bakes are simple ways of cooking a complete dinner all at once.
If I’m being honest, I’m not always a fan of sheet pan meals. It often feels like ingredients cook at different times or temps or everything ends up cooking together and tasting the same.
But the magic of this season is that not only do these vegetables all cook in the SAME TIME, but I found a way to season the individual items to they retain their own flavors. I add a little balsamic vinegar to the carrots and Brussels sprouts to help them caramelize and pull out their natural sweetness. I add a little rosemary to the potatoes and onions to enhance their savory bite, and the chicken thighs are well-seasoned with some classic spices and a little whole grain mustard.
Once cooked, each bite compliments the next – savory potato, sweet carrots and onion, caramelized and crunchy sprouts, served alongside a juicy and tangy chicken thigh. TOTAL PERFECTION.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
- Simple, nutritious ingredients.
- Perfect for meal prep!
- All you need to wash is a sheet pan, a cutting board and 2 bowls. Easy peasy!
Sheet Pan Chicken Thigh Ingredients
This fall harvest chicken thigh tray bake comes together with minimal, wholesome ingredients.
Chicken Thighs – I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this chicken sheet pan dinner. I wouldn’t recommend using bone-in thighs as they will take longer to cook, nor would I recommend chicken breast which dries out too quickly. Boneless, skinless thighs will cook at the same temp and time as the rest of the ingredients and come out beautifully seasoned and juicy!
Seasonal Fall Produce – This is a great recipe to really enjoy fresh fall produce at it’s peak. We’ll be using some onion, small red potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts.
Spices and seasoning – Nothing fancy here, just a few basic spices like paprika, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder. I also add a little whole grain mustard to the chicken marinade to give the chicken a tangy kick.
How to Make This Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Start by mixing together oil, salt and pepper, whole grain mustard, paprika and garlic powder into a large bowl. Using tongs, add in your boneless, skinless chicken thighs and swirl them around, making sure to coat every side with the marinade. Set aside and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes, but ideally 30-45 minutes.
While chicken thighs are marinating, wash and prepare your veggies. I peeled and chopped my carrots, cored and sliced my Brussels sprouts in half, cut my onion into wedges and sliced my potatoes in 1.5 inch – 2 inch slices.
In a bowl, add your potatoes, onion, dried rosemary and drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to coat well, and then dump on your sheet pan.
In the same bowl, add you carrots and Brussels sprouts. Drizzle in a touch of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix to coat, and add to the sheet pan.
Take your marinated chicken and gently nestle it on the sheet pan, making sure to have all ingredients spread out evenly.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees and potatoes are soft.
What to Serve With This Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Perhaps the BEST thing about this easy sheet pan chicken is that the entire meal cooks up at once. You have your main protein, a delicious starch, and some vegetables all on the tray. When I serve this meal to my family, I don’t add any sides.
If you’d like to bulk up the meal, I’d recommend serving a side of buttery rice, a crisp green salad, or some freshly baked bread.
If you love roasted Brussels sprouts and are looking for a great side dish, check out my caramelized sprouts recipe!
Fall Harvest Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Ingredients
- 6 (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 (100g) onion, cut into wedges
- 2 cups (12 oz) red potatoes, chopped
- 4 whole (250g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5inch pieces
- 2 cups (240g) Brussels sprouts
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Chicken Marinade
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp whole grain mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Start by mixing your chicken marinade. Add olive oil, salt, dried thyme, garlic powder, paprika and whole grain mustard in a large bowl. Using tongs, add in your boneless, skinless chicken thighs and swish around until all sides of the chicken are covered in marinade. Set chicken aside to marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients. The longer you let it marinate, the better, but shoot for at least 15 minutes.
- You'll want to wash all your vegetables and peel your carrots.
- Chop your onion into large wedges.
- Slice your red potatoes in half, or cut into thirds if they are large – you'll want all the vegetables about the same size.
- Add your potatoes and onion to a small bowl, drizzle in a little olive oil, 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary and generously season with salt and pepper. Mix until coated.
- Dump potatoes and onion on a sheet pan.
- Cut off the core from your Brussels sprouts and slice in half. Chop your peeled carrots into 1.5 inch pieces.
- Add your carrots and Brussels sprouts to the small bowl, and lightly drizzle with olive oil, 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix until all pieces are coated.
- Dump carrot and sprouts mixture on to your sheet pan.
- Add your marinated chicken to the sheet pan, making sure to spread all ingredients out to a single layer.
- Add sheet pan to preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and carrots and potatoes are soft. Since the size and thickness of chicken thighs can vary, make sure to they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes for additional color.
NOTE
Nutrition information for this recipe is provided below. For more information on the nutrition facts provided on this site, please visit our nutrition disclaimer.
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