This recipe for Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Potatoes is the kind of weeknight meal that earns a spot on your regular rotation! Low effort, high return dinners are the BEST when you're feeding a busy family on a budget (🙋🏼♀️ that was us with our family of 7!). We borrow a few smart tricks from years of weeknight cooking to keep this just 10 minutes hands-on, with easy clean up (no wire racks!), truly crispy chicken, and super creamy potatoes.
Check out our other favorite One Pan Dinner Recipes for more inspiration!
I first rediscovered my loved for baked chicken thighs when I was making this Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Crispy Rice recipe. For awhile there, I loved it so much that I was making it every week, which really helped me narrow down my favorite way to do it!
Although I had to tweak a few parts of my technique to make sure the potatoes turn out right, I love this one just as much!
Recipe notes from Danielle & Misty
Since so many sheet pan dinners over the years have left me disappointed, I really set out to make sure that the finished food in this recipe really does taste delicious! I've tried lots of things to narrow down the best method.
- I tried making it on a wire rack, but it's so much harder to cleanup after dinner.
- I tried roasting at a lower temperature, but the chicken didn't get impressively crispy.
- I tried putting the chicken skin side down at first, like I do in other recipes, but the skin actually got too crispy by the time the potatoes were finished.
- I tried a more complex seasoning mixture with dijon mustard, but it took away from the simplicity of this dinner.
All of that to say, this recipe was written with a lot of love and testing, so it really will turn out delicious when made as written.
Ingredients and substitutions for baked chicken thighs with potatoes
A full list of quantities is in the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips before you head to the grocery store.
- Dried seasonings: This is where all of the flavor comes from in this recipe, so we're going to layer the seasoning on thick. You can substitute the dried rosemary and thyme with Italian seasoning if you prefer, and you can substitute the paprika with smoked paprika.
- Chicken thighs: It's important to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. Boneless thighs or chicken breast will cook much faster than directed, won't get crispy, and tend to be dry when baked. Make sure your meat is completely thawed (I like to take mine out of the fridge 30 minute before cooking for extra even roasting). You'll need 6 thighs, which is typically about 3 pounds.
- Baby potatoes: These are also called creamer potatoes and usually come in a variety pack of gold, red, and sometimes even purple. They are naturally a really nice size and are less starchy than russet potatoes, which means they will get really creamy inside. Yum!
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make sheet pan chicken thighs and potatoes
Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. While it is heating, start with the steps below.
In a small small bowl, combine the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and black pepper. Set aside 1 teaspoon of this mixture for the potatoes, reserving the rest for the chicken.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Sprinkle the spice mix on top of the chicken and toss it very well, until they are evenly coated. Now drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the chicken and toss it all again. Place the thighs skin side up on a cookie sheet.
*I don't know the science behind doing the spices first and then the oil, but I've had great success with crispy skin and flavorful meat when using this method. You're welcome to do the oil first too - it also works!
In the same bowl, toss the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of oil, and the reserved spice mixture. Once evenly combined, spread the potatoes on the sheet pan cut side down, in a single layer and nestled between the pieces of chicken. The pan will be very full.
Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy (it should register 185-195 degrees when tested in the thickest part with an probe thermometer). The potatoes should be soft and slightly golden on the edges.
Allow everything to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, which allows the juices in the meat to redistribute and some of the juices on the pan to soak up. I like to squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the potatoes to brighten everything up right before serving. Enjoy!
What to serve with chicken thighs and potatoes
This is designed to be a meal all on it's own, but if you have extra time on your hands, it pairs well with all kinds of sides. Here are some of the things I would make with it.
- Sage Biscuits (no rolling or cutting!)
- Spinach Avocado Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Vinaigrette
- Sauteed Garlic Green Beans
- Hot Honey Skillet Corn
- Apple Crisp and vanilla ice cream (because why not?)
What is the best internal temperature for bone-in chicken thighs?
You've probably had it drilled into your head that chicken needs to cook to exactly 165°F and no further or it will dry out. Bone-in chicken is actually a little different! The minimum safe temperature is still 165°F, but it will actually get noticeably more tender and juicy when cooked to a higher temperature, about 185-195°F.
My chicken is done before the potatoes. Now what?
If your chicken has reached temperature but the potatoes are not quite tender enough, you can remove the thighs and set them aside on a platter to rest. Pop the potatoes back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking.
Tips & Tricks
- If your thighs have really large, excess flaps of fat that hang off the thighs, you can use kitchen shears to trim it off. You want to keep the skin on the top of the thigh, but excess will make the sheet pan extra greasy.
- Use paper towels to pat the thighs dry before you add the seasonings. Moisture leads to steam, which leads to less crispy skin.
- The potatoes in this recipe get beautifully creamy, and just slightly crispy on the edges. To get them a bit more brown, use an extra large sheet pan to give them more room to spread out.
- Sheet pan dinners naturally create a lot of juices on the pan. Some of these will soak back up as it rests for a few minutes after baking. However, you can also use paper towels to soak up some of the extra juices about ¾ of the way through the cooking time or right when it comes out of the oven. Totally optional!
More recipes
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This post was photographed by Rhadonda Sedgwick.
Recipe
Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 (about 3 lbs) bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1.5 pounds baby or creamer potatoes cut in halves (if extra large, cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces)
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 450°F.
- In a small small bowl, combine the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and black pepper. Set aside 1 teaspoon of this mixture for the potatoes, reserving the rest for the chicken.2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Sprinkle the spice mix on top of the chicken and toss it very well, until they are evenly coated. Now drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the chicken and toss it all again. Place the thighs skin side up on a cookie sheet.2 tablespoons olive oil, 6 (about 3 lbs) bone in skin on chicken thighs
- In the same bowl, toss the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of oil, and the reserved spice mixture. Once evenly combined, spread the potatoes on the sheet pan cut side down, in a single layer and nestled between the pieces of chicken. The pan will be very full.1.5 pounds baby or creamer potatoes, 1.01 tablespoons olive oil
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy (it should register 185-195 degrees when tested in the thickest part with a probe thermometer). The potatoes should be soft and slightly golden on the edges.
- Allow everything to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes to allow the juices in the meat to redistribute and some of the juices on the pan to soak up. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the potatoes right before serving. Enjoy!1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Notes
- If your thighs have really large, excess flaps of fat that hang off the thighs, you can use kitchen shears to trim it off. You want to keep the skin on the top of the thigh, but excess will make the sheet pan extra greasy.
- Use paper towels to pat the thighs dry before you add the seasonings. Moisture leads to steam, which leads to less crispy skin.
- The potatoes in this recipe get beautifully creamy, and just slightly crispy on the edges. To get them a bit more brown, use an extra large sheet pan to give them more room to spread out.
- Sheet pan dinners naturally create a lot of juices on the pan. Some of these will soak back up as it rests for a few minutes after baking. However, you can also use paper towels to soak up some of the extra juices about ¾ of the way through the cooking time or right when it comes out of the oven. Totally optional!
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
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