This is a recipe that ends up cooking itself once it goes in the oven, which is exactly what a weeknight needs. The chicken thighs go in skin-up over the vegetables and render their fat down through the pan; the potatoes pick up the rendered fat and crisp; the lemon dressing comes together at the counter while everything roasts. Total active time is about 12 minutes; total time is 35.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 to 2.5 pounds total)
  • 1.5 pounds small Yukon gold or red potatoes, halved (or quartered if larger)
  • 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan (the standard 18-by-13-inch half-sheet) with parchment paper, or oil the pan generously.

  2. Season the chicken thighs. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides — about ½ teaspoon kosher salt per side.

  3. Toss the potatoes. In a large bowl, toss the halved potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds of pepper. Spread them in a single layer on one side of the sheet pan.

  4. Add the chicken. Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on the open side of the sheet pan, on top of any potatoes that overflow the boundary. Some overlap with the potatoes is fine — the rendered fat will season them.

  5. Roast for 25 minutes. During this time, prepare the broccoli and the dressing. Toss the broccoli florets in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the minced garlic, the lemon juice, and the optional red pepper flakes. Set both aside.

  6. Add the broccoli. After 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Push the chicken and potatoes slightly to one side to make space for the broccoli, and add it in a single layer. Return to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the broccoli is tender-crisp and lightly charred at the edges and the chicken registers 175°F at the thickest part of the thigh.

  7. Drizzle and serve. Drizzle the lemon-garlic dressing over the entire pan. Let rest for 3 minutes, then serve directly from the pan.

Notes

The thighs can be substituted with bone-in chicken legs (same time) or with boneless skinless chicken breasts (reduce time by 5 minutes; check for 165°F at the thickest part).

The potatoes will absorb most of the rendered chicken fat from the thighs. This is the recipe’s primary flavor mechanism, and it does not work as well with skinless chicken or with potatoes that have not been positioned for the fat drip.

The lemon-garlic dressing also works as a salad dressing for the leftover servings the next day.

Per-serving nutrition (approximate)

  • Calories: 545
  • Protein: 38 g
  • Carbohydrate: 36 g
  • Fat: 28 g

(Calculated from USDA FoodData Central per-ingredient values, summed across the ingredient list, divided by 4 servings. Actual values will vary with specific ingredients and portion size.)