Sheet-Pan Chicken and Veggies
Herby chicken thighs roasted with red potatoes and wilted spinach, all on one sheet pan. A hearty dinner ready in about an hour with minimal cleanup.
- 2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds), skin removed
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
- lemon wedges, optional
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, onion, oil, garlic, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, tossing to coat. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle the chicken with this paprika mixture and arrange the thighs over the vegetables. Roast until a thermometer inserted in the chicken reads 170°F to 175°F and the vegetables are just tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Top the vegetables with the spinach and return the pan to the oven. Roast until the vegetables are tender and the spinach has wilted, 8 to 10 minutes longer.
- Stir the vegetables to combine and serve alongside the chicken. If desired, garnish with additional fresh rosemary and lemon wedges.
Chef's Note: Removing the chicken thighs before adding the spinach is the key step that keeps this dish from turning into a soggy mess — the chicken has already reached temperature by that point, and pulling it out lets the vegetables get a few more minutes of direct heat while the spinach wilts down without steaming everything else. As the chicken roasts, its juices drip down and season the potatoes and onion below, which is most of where this dish gets its flavor from.
This comes together with only a few minutes of hands-on prep, even though the finished result tastes like it took much longer — nearly everything happens in the oven. Lining the pan or using cooking spray makes cleanup genuinely quick, which is a big part of the appeal for a busy weeknight.
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