Sheet pan dinners seem to be the current cooking trend. What could be easier than cooking a full meal - a protein and either a veggie or a starch - and only have one pan to clean-up? Easy is a good thing, especially after working a long day.
I've been trying different combinations of sheet pan dinners. So far, the most reliable and tasty meal has consistently been chicken thighs. I buy them bone in and skin on for flavor, but both can easily be removed after cooking if you prefer. For the last few weeks, chicken thighs have been my go to for lunches. I buy a package of thighs, make a quick marinade, and cook them on Sunday as my lunch for the week. I have eaten the thighs alone, shredded the meat to place on top of a salad or in a taco, or even thrown them in some chicken broth and made a quick soup.
The recipes are super simple and you can definitely use any type of marinade or dry rub that you prefer. What is great is that no matter what you put on these thighs, you can guarantee that 45 minute later, you will have a perfectly cooked, moist, tasty piece of chicken!
Mariande Option #1 (picture on the left):
Basil, tarragon, Italian parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, kosher salt and pepper
Marinade Option #2 (picture on the right):
Lemon zest, Italian parsley, garlic, olive oil, Sicilian lemon balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and pepper
The marinades are not a science. Mix any fresh herbs together that you like or that you have on hand. Just add olive oil, salt and pepper, and some acid or vinegar to balance it all out!
Preparation:
Chop all of the ingredients for the marinade and combine them with about 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar (second option). Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag and then pour in the marinade. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible, seal the bag, then rub the marinade into the chicken. Let the chicken sit in the marinade at least 30 minutes (at room temperature) or overnight in the fridge. If you are marinading the chicken overnight, then make sure to bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking (about 30 minutes).
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut an onion into thin slices, then toss the slices with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the onions on a sheet pan, the remove the chicken from the marinade and "snuggle" the chicken into the onions. Cook the chicken for approximately 40 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Sides are easy. Bake a potato, make a pot of rice, roast some asparagus or other vegetables, make a salad...it's up to you!
Enjoy...