This Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Broccoli & Cauliflower recipe is so easy, I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to call it a recipe! Just arrange all your ingredients on a sheet pan (or two), top with oil and seasonings and pop in the oven. Does dinner get any easier? Probably not.
When you’re really tight on time, what’s your favorite go-to quick and easy healthy dinner?
Mine is the good ol’ trusty sheet pan meal! Sheet pan meals are so simple and fast to prepare. And they don’t require too much thought. Lord knows, after a long day at work, my brainpower is almost completely diminished by dinner time! So the lack of thought and effort sheet pan meals require is a definite bonus.
And this Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Broccoli & Cauliflower is absolutely no exception. It requires just THREE ingredients, ONE pan and less than 30 minutes! Plus, there’s only one pan to clean when you’re done! It’s a win/win/win/win situation!
If you’re like me, though, you’ll use two pans, so you can make enough for leftovers. OK, TWO pans to clean! 5 minutes, tops.
this recipe!
Why sheet pan chicken thighs?
Why did I choose to cook with chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Over my many years of experimenting in the kitchen, I’ve just found that chicken breasts tend to dry out very easily in the oven. There’s a fine line between undercooked, food-poisoning-inducing chicken breasts and dry, rubbery chicken breasts. And once you’ve crossed that line, there’s no going back.
Am I right? Is it just me or have you been there too?
It seems like roasted chicken breasts always need a sauce to liven them up and make them edible. (I’ll give other cooking methods like pan-frying and braising a pass, though. They tend to help hold in the juices better than the oven).
On the other hand, chicken thighs are virtually impossible to dry out in the oven! They’re so tender and juicy, they virtually melt in your mouth. No sauce necessary. And chicken thighs make excellent (still juicy) leftovers.
Which do you prefer: chicken breasts or thighs?
How to Prepare Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Broccoli & Cauliflower
OK, are you ready? Here are the steps:
- Chop your broccoli and cauliflower into equal size florets.
- Arrange chicken thighs, broccoli and cauliflower florets on your sheet pan(s).
- Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with spices.
- Pop in the oven for 25-35 minutes.
Done. Three ingredients. Four steps. I don’t even worry about tossing the raw ingredients in the oil and spices, to make sure everything’s evenly coated. I just try to distribute the seasonings as evenly as I can on the pan and call it good. It all tastes the same in the end. Plus, what can I say? I don’t want to have to clean another dish.
If you need a little more substance to your meal, you could pair this with a cooked grain and/or a sauce. But, for my husband and I, we just eat this as-is out of the oven. For some killer leftovers, I might mix it up by combining it with a carb (roasted squash, sweet potatoes, quinoa, etc.) and a sauce and turn it into a nourish bowl. (For a sauce pairing, try Arugula Pesto, or Tangy Cilantro Sauce, or even just plain ol’ hummus).
If you want some more tasty sauce ideas, check out my sauces and dips recipes. For more quick and easy sheet pan meal ideas, click here.
Let me know if you try this gloriously simple, delicious sheet pan recipe (/non-recipe) in the comments!
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Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Broccoli & Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Broccoli & Cauliflower recipe is so easy, I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to call it a recipe. Just arrange all your ingredients on a sheet pan (or two), top with oil and seasonings and pop in the oven. Does dinner get any easier? Probably not.
Ingredients
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (organic, free-range, when possible)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (organic, when possible)
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (organic, when possible)
2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil)
1 tsp kosher salt (less if using another type of salt)
1 tsp freshly ground pepper (omit for AIP)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin (omit for AIP)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Arrange chicken thighs, broccoli florets and cauliflower florets on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (I used two sheet pans, to space the vegetables out so they get crispier).
Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with seasonings (don’t worry about tossing, just make sure the oil and seasonings are somewhat evenly spread across all of the ingredients).
Pop in the oven for about 25-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the biggest chicken thigh reads 165ºF with a meat thermometer. Check halfway through and stir, if needed.
Equipment
sheet pans
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cutting board
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chef’s knife
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measuring spoons
Buy Now →Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 361
- Fat: 16.2g
- Carbohydrates: 6.6g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Protein: 46.3g
Keywords: sheet pan chicken thighs, sheet pan, easy, sheet pan meals, aip, paleo
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