Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Recipe
With everyone’s busy schedules, we can all agree that easy sheet pan dinners like this Lemon Rosemary Chicken recipe are a necessity.
With school and all of its accompanying activities getting back into full gear, we can all agree that super easy dinners are a necessity. Which is why this Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner idea and one of our favorite sheet pan recipe ideas.
And bonus points if these easy dinner recipes keep dirty dishes in the kitchen to a minimal. Because who wants to spend the evening slaving over the sink?
Enter one-pan dinners like that feature your entree and sides all together. The recipe only requires about 20 to 30 minutes of prep, an hour in the oven, and voila!
You have a healthy, flavorful, and filling meal that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy. Trust me, even my boys sit up and dig in when I, Rebecca serve this one for dinner.
Benefits of Sheet Pan Dinners
If you’re looking for simple, delicious, and healthy, this Lemon Rosemary Chicken recipe might be exactly what you need for full, happy bellies around your table.
The beauty of sheet pan or one pan dinners is that all the ingredients cook together on one baking sheet. Thus, making the cooking and cleaning process super simple!
Sheet pan dinners also reheat well. So you can double the recipe if you’re feeding a family, or just have dinner for several days if it’s just for yourself or a couple people. Meal prep at it’s finest!
For even quicker cleanup, you can line your baking sheet with aluminum foil to keep any juices and oil from making a mess on your pan. Then, you’ll want to start with prepping your spice mix.
Can I Use a Baking Dish Instead of a Baking Pan?
If you have an aluminum baking dish, then you can use that instead. However, do not use glass, stoneware and porcelain. These materials don’t conduct heat as fast, and thus your rosemary chicken thighs will not cook as fast.
Tips for the Prepping the Rosemary Seasoning
A huge component of this recipe is rosemary! Here’s a pro tip for quickly removing fresh rosemary off its stalks.
Hold the end of the sprig in one hand, then close all of the fingers of the other hand around it. Finally, pull back towards the plant end of the stalk.
Basically, you’re pulling the leaves in the opposite direction they naturally grow. Then, you’ll be left with a bare stem and a pile of leaves to be chopped!
Can You Use Dried Spices or Pre-Made Ingredients?
We are always an advocate of fresh ingredients. But if you only have dried rosemary on hand, that will work just fine!
If you opt for dried spices, use about a third of the quantity since dried spices tend to be more potent and condensed than fresh.
Dried spices do expire so make sure that they’re fresh! They quickly lose their flavor if left to sit for too long in the cupboard. And you don’t want to lose out on the rosemary.
Mincing fresh garlic definitely takes the flavor to the next level and makes for really yummy browned bits once baked and golden brown. We occasionally opt for pre-minced garlic when in a time bind, so there’s no shame or judgment here!
How to Zest a Lemon for a Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe
Lemon zest is the outer surface or skin of the lemon. You’ll need a micro planer or a grater with small, sharp holes for the lemon zest.
Hold the grater and push the lemon away from you across the rough edges of the grater. You’ll want to remove all the colorful skin. The rind of the lemon contains oils that are potent, so make sure to take advantage of all of that flavor!
Once you’ve made your lemon zest, the salt and pepper seasoning will easily cling to the zest. Thus, making the spice blend easier to sprinkle and “stick” over chicken thighs!
The citrus kick will balance out the rosemary, and lemon zest is less acidic than using lemon juice.
What Sides to Serve with Lemon Rosemary Chicken
For the recipe pictured here, we used regular white potatoes mixed with carrots as a vegetable addition to this dish, but it’s a matter of preference. Feel free to substitute them for red, golden, or sweet potatoes or even a mix of them all!
Just make sure to chop the potatoes into equal size pieces. This ensures that they cook evenly. Hard potatoes can be kind of gross to chew on, you know?
White potatoes begin to brown when they have been cut, so toss them in virgin olive oil and spices fairly quickly.
Chicken and potatoes are the perfect pairing. If you want to eliminate carbs is your diet, substitute the potato for brussels sprouts, green beans, or a bed of cauliflower.
What’s the Best Chicken to Use for Sheet Pan Meals?
Bone-in chicken is ideal because it will cook more slowly than boneless skinless. Selecting this type of chicken helps ensure that the veggies and meat cook and finish at the same time.
We recommend using chicken thighs because dark meat is fattier, dark meat is a lot less likely to dry out than white meat.
But if you are watching your fat consumption, you can absolutely opt for bone-in chicken breasts with the skins still on them.
If the chicken is large, you may need to cut them in half to ensure that they are done at the right time. Chicken is a versatile protein which is why there are so many easy chicken recipes.
Seasoning the Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken
To season the chicken, sprinkle salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon zest, and garlic all over and under the chicken. This rosemary garlic season is wonderful for other proteins too!
Don’t forget to slice up the lemon that you zested, and tuck the fresh lemon slices underneath the pieces of chicken. Also, drizzle olive oil over the skins to help them crisp up nicely in the oven.
After about an hour in the oven (even as early as 50 minutes), you’ll need to check on the dish to make sure that everything is cooked through.
If you really want to take this chicken dish up a notch, you can add a splash of white wine or chicken broth for extra sauce
How to Tell If Your Vegetables are Fully Cooked
To check if the potatoes and carrots are ready, you should be able to easily pierce them with a fork. This means they are tender all the way through.
How to Tell If Your Chicken is Fully Cooked
f you have a meat thermometer, we highly recommend using one on the baked chicken thighs. Insert the thermometer in the meat right next to the bone. If thoroughly cooked, the proper temperature should reach 165F.
If you don’t have a thermometer on hand, poke the meat near the bone with a fork. It’s cooked through if the juices that run out are clear.
Cooking time is an hour but start checking on the ingredients 50 minutes in. It’s important to always preheat oven first to ensure that the chicken reaches the proper temperature without drying out.
More Sides Idea: What to Serve with Lemon Rosemary Chicken
You can serve this with this easy Cacio e Pepe recipe, rice or mashed potatoes. Or your favorite salad recipe like this Beetroot Salad with Goat Cheese.
It is the sauce that makes the chicken so good so don’t forget to spoon all that extra sauce on top of it when you serve it.
How to Store the Lemon Rosemary Chicken
This meal reheats very well. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Meal planning has never been so easy!
More Dinner Ideas
In case you’re looking for some other easy home recipes like this simple baked rosemary chicken and potatoes dinner, here are a few of our favorites —
- An easy instant pot bean soup
- Yummy huli huli chicken kabobs
- The best easy turkey chili recipe
- Whole30 avocado salad chicken wraps
Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Baking tray
- Small bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Grater
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken thighs bone in and skins on
- 2 lb potatoes chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 lb carrots chopped into 1” pieces
- 2-3 lemons zested and sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon zest use lemons above and zest before slicing
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
Nutrition
Notes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375, then line an edged baking sheet with foil
- Combine the salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry.
- Chop the potatoes and carrots in 1” chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Then, toss them with the ⅓ cup olive oil and 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoning mix until the are all evenly coated.
- Sprinkle both sides of each chicken thigh with the remaining seasonings, then arrange them on top of the carrots and potatoes with 2-3 slices of the lemon tucked underneath.
- Drizzle the tops of the chicken pieces with olive oil.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for one hour or until the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced with a fork, and the chicken’s internal temperature is 165F.
Don’t forget to share your Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! And if you’re looking for more quick and delicious recipes you can find them all right here!
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