Roasted Dinner Pan Meal (Printable)
A one-pan meal of roasted chicken, potatoes, carrots, and aromatic herbs, perfect for a simple dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
03 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges
05 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
→ Aromatics & Herbs
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried)
→ Seasonings & Fats
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon paprika
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - Juice of ½ lemon
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - In a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, onion, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add half the garlic, rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Spread the seasoned vegetables in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.
04 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Rub with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.
05 - Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up among the vegetables on the baking sheet.
06 - Roast for 40 minutes, basting chicken with pan juices halfway through cooking.
07 - Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and vegetables. Continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and vegetables are tender.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, spooning pan juices over the chicken and vegetables.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time with the people you're feeding.
- The chicken skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat stays juicy, and the vegetables soak up all those caramelized, herby pan juices.
- It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you're actually done in just over an hour.
02 -
- Patting the chicken dry is the secret to crispy skin—moisture is the enemy of crispiness, so don't skip this step.
- Arranging vegetables in a single layer keeps them from steaming; crowding the pan is the number one reason things turn out mushy instead of caramelized.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone—it removes all the guesswork about doneness.
03 -
- Resist the urge to flip the chicken—let it sit skin-side up the whole time so the skin gets maximum contact with the heat and turns into crackling gold.
- If your oven runs hot or cold, use a meat thermometer rather than relying on time alone, because that 165°F mark is the only true indicator that you're done.