This Whole30 sheet pan chicken thighs recipe makes for a quick weeknight dinner with little effort. Chicken thighs are full of flavor, perfect for meal prep.
We eat a lot of chicken thighs in our house, and boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorite. The second would be chicken wings! They’re versatile and really hard to overcook. Chicken breasts can become dry or overcooked easily. Plus, it doesn't reheat very well.
Chicken Thighs – Dark vs White Meat
With my psoriasis, I try to keep my saturated fat consumption down. If I had to describe my “diet” it would be a blend of the Mediterranean with Paleo - healthy fats with some, gluten-free, grains. I have the best results with eating this way. I’ve started making a lot more vegetarian dishes or eating healthy fat proteins like salmon, but dark meat chicken is still my favorite.
Dark meat is the thighs and legs of the chicken. The thighs and legs are worked more than the breast which increases the fat content - more fat equals more flavor. White meat is worked less, contents less fat, and can easily overcook or dry out. That is my simple explanation of it anyways 🙂
I also found the dark meat is more tender than white and reheats better than the breast meat - making it a better option for meal prep.
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
I love sheet pan meals. There is only one dish to clean and everything is ready at the same time. Plus you can use any combination of seasonings or sauce and you get a completely different meal each time.
For quick meals, boneless skinless chicken thighs are perfect, but bone-in or skin on work great too. Cooking the chicken with the skin on will create more fat if you're using veggies in your dish. Not really a bad thing, but something to be mindful of as it can make some of your vegetables too greasy. Trimming some of the excess fat and skin off the kitchen will help reduce the grease at the end of cooking.
Basic Cooking Directions
To cook, season the chicken and place on a sheet pan lined with foil, parchment paper, or a silicone mat - preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
If using soft vegetables like zucchini, squash, green beans, or mushrooms for your sheet pan chicken, you’ll want to start the chicken ahead of time and add the veggies in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. If using heartier veggies like brussels sprouts or root veggies {potatoes or carrots}, cook the veggies and chicken at the same time.
Place the chicken in the oven, and cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping the veggies halfway through the cooking process. Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees and is no longer pink, remove the sheet pan from the oven and serve.
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs Variations
This recipe is for a very basic but super tasty chicken! I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh lemon zest and roasted with green beans. The lemon gave the chicken a bright and light flavor!
You can change up this recipe any way you like! Get creative and use any combo of chicken and vegetables you have on hand.
Using one pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can try any of the following flavor combos using the cooking directions in the recipe below.
Cajun Chicken - 2 large sweet potatoes diced and 12 ounces green beans – seasoned with Cajun spice blend. Add the sweet potatoes to the oven with the chicken and add the green beans in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
Teriyaki Chicken - 12 ounces broccolini, 16 ounces of baby bok choy cut in half, two cloves garlic minced, and half a cup of Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade. Marinate the chicken in the teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Remove and place on a sheet pan. Season the green beans and bok choy with salt and pepper and add to the pan the last 10-15 minutes. Brush the veggies with some of the sauce and flip halfway through the cooking process.
Lemon Garlic Chicken - Another great sheet pan dinner I love!
Sheet Pan Recipes from around the web
- Healthy Mediterranean Sheet Pan Chicken with Vegetable Dinner
- Whole30 Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas in Lettuce Wraps
Meal Prep Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are great for make-ahead meals. They do not dry out as easily as chicken breast and reheated well for lunch or dinner.
For meal prep, double or triple the amount of chicken you’re cooking. Cook time and temperature will be the same.
Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The chicken thighs can be warm before eating or consumed cold {chicken salad is my favorite way of eating leftover chicken!}
Other Recipes to Try
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Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs {Whole30}
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Whole30 sheet pan chicken thighs recipe makes for a quick weeknight dinner with little effort. Chicken thighs are full of flavor, perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless Chicken Thighs*
- 1 ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- Zest from one Lemon - about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with foil, parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
- Place chicken thighs on the sheet pan. Spread out the chicken to ensure even cooking.
- Combine the remaining ingredients and season both sides of the chicken.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the meat is no longer pink on the inside.
Notes
If using bone-in chicken thighs, increase cooking time to 35-40 minutes.
Add root vegetables {potatoes and carrots} at the same time as the chicken. Flip the veggies halfway through.
Add softer vegetable {zucchine, squash, mushrooms, green beans} the last 15 minutes of cooking to prevent overcooking. Flip halfway through.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken thighs, baked chicken thighs, sheet pan chicken thighs
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