This sheet pan chicken has the answer to the crispiest skin without having to pan sear & dodge splatter as you render down that fat.
It’s a simple trick, but you won’t believe it works ’til you try it for yourself. All you’ve gotta do is place your chicken skin side down on a parchment lined baking sheet for the first half of the cook time!
Really. It’s that easy. You’ll season the underside of the chicken so that all the delicious spice-laden rub sinks into the meat, while the chicken skin renders out so much better because it’s in contact with the hot metal instead of just the air around it.
At the halfway mark, you pour off the rendered fat so that the finished chicken isn’t too greasy. Then you flip your chicken thighs skin side up, hit ’em with some salt & let those thighs finish up until they’re juicy, tender & crispy-skinned, too.
The spice rub is fragrant with cumin, garlic and oregano & spiced with a little pepper and paprika for pep and contrast. The orange juice and zest both flavors the chicken and dresses the potatoes, which are roasted together with red onions that keep a little of their crunch while caramelizing a tad.
While the chicken rests, we’ll toss the hot vegetables in a splash of vinegar for tang, extra roasted orange juice, bright firm green olives & a medley of fresh herbs.
This is a weeknight dinner that tastes like it has its metaphorical pinky out, because the simple ingredients all work together to make this chicken & taters dish shine.
When it comes to the fresh herbs, use what you have or like! I used a mix of oregano, mint & parsley because that’s what I had knocking around my kitchen, but I think basil or chives would also be nice.
This was such a great hit in my house, we’ve made it at least four times since staying at home started, so I bet it will be a success on your table, too!
PrintCrispiest Roast Sheet Pan Chicken with Orange & Olive Potatoes
This roast sheet pan chicken has a simple trick for the crispiest skin without having to pan sear. It’s a one dish wonder with zesty orange scented, olive flecked potatoes, too.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: sheet pan
- Cuisine: gluten free, grain free, paleo, whole30
Ingredients
- 2 lbs / 900 g chicken thighs, bone-in & skin-on, about 6
- 2 tsp / 8 g granulated garlic
- 2 tsp / 2 g dried oregano
- 1 tsp / 2 g ground cumin
- 1 tsp / 7 g fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large orange
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 lb / 454 g baby potatoes, larger ones sliced in half
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml avocado oil
- 1/2 cup / 75 g pitted green olives, I used Castelvetrano
- 1 – 2 tsp / 5 – 10 ml white wine vinegar
- large handful fresh herbs, chopped, I used a blend of oregano, mint & parsley
Instructions
PREP: Preheat the oven to 425 F / 220 C. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Pat the chicken dry, paying special attention to the skin, then place skin down around the edges & in the corners of the parchment lined sheet.
ROAST: In a small bowl, mix together the granulated garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, paprika and black pepper. Zest the orange and stir the zest into the seasoning blend. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the seasoning blend over the meat of the chicken thighs, but not the skin. Slice the zested orange in half and place them cut side down on the sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
SEASON: While the chicken roasts, peel and slice the red onion into evenly sized chunks, then add them to a mixing bowl along with the baby potatoes, avocado oil and the remaining seasoning blend. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
DRAIN: Remove the sheet pan from the oven and place on a trivet. Use tongs to turn over the chicken thighs so that they are now skin side up, remove them to a plate and season to taste with salt.Remove the orange halves. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the sheet pan and pour off the rendered chicken fat & juices into a ramekin or similar.
CRISP: Place the parchment paper back on the sheet pan & lay the chicken thighs around the edges again, skin side up. Juice one of the orange halves over the vegetables & toss them to coat. Pile the vegetables into the middle of the sheet pan and spread them out into a single layer, reserving the bowl for later. Slide the sheet pan back into the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and the chicken skin very crispy, about 20 – 25 minutes.
MARINATE: While the chicken and vegetables cook, juice the second orange half into the same bowl. Pull apart or roughly chop the olives & add those, too, along with the white wine vinegar and chopped herbs. Stir together so the olives marinate. If you like, add a little of the reserved fat & juices from the chicken, too.
REST: Once the chicken is crispy-skinned & golden, remove from the oven and let it rest on the sheet pan.Transfer the roasted potatoes & onions to the same bowl as the marinated olives and toss to coat. Let the potatoes absorb the marinating liquid while the chicken rests for a few minutes, then plate and serve.
Notes
- Don’t be tempted to skip the parchment paper or to sub aluminum foil, or you will likely end up with a mess of very stuck to the sheet chicken skin! If you like, you can spray or lightly coat the skin in a little oil, but it’s not necessary if you place the chicken on parchment paper per the recipe above.
- Cumin & black pepper are Stage 1 AIP reintroductions.
- Paprika is a Stage 3 AIP reintroduction.
- Potatoes are a Stage 4 AIP reintroduction.
Made this tonight – so delicious. I added another orange that I sliced into 1/2 moons. Tasty!!!