Sheet Pan Chicken With Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

We all have busy days, and we all have lazy days. That’s when sheet pan recipes like this one come in handy. Look at that! This chicken and potatoes recipe can be made on a sheet pan for ease. And the whole thing comes together on one baking sheet so there’s almost hardly any cleanup!

Why make this recipe?

This one-dish meal is a quick and delicious weeknight dinner that gives you protein and vegetables with minimal effort. It’s simple! You need very few ingredients and only one pan – the sheet pan! Use any chicken you have on hand, legs, thighs, breast or a whole chicken cut into pieces. And most of the ingredients are simple and easy to find or simple pantry staples. Also, the chicken seasoning is very versatile and a great addition to the pantry spices to use on other meats as well. Leftovers keep well in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And, the chicken makes a great addition to sandwiches and wraps such as chicken fajitas.

Step-by-step: Sheet pan chicken dinners

Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / Gas Mark 6 Sheet pan – Line a 15 x 10 sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Chicken seasoning – In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients. Set aside. Pro tip – This is a wonderful chicken seasoning that is very versatile and great to store in the pantry so make extra.

Layer – Place the chicken pieces on the sheet pan. Scatter the shallots, baby potatoes, and garlic cloves all around the chicken.Pro tip – If you like lemon, place a few lemon slices all over the chicken and potatoes. Marinate – Pour or use a pastry brush to brush the olive oil over everything. Sprinkle the chicken seasoning all over the chicken and veggies, then flip the chicken pieces and sprinkle more seasoning.Pro tip – Alternatively, you can use an olive oil spray and give the chicken and veggies a generous spray. Roast – Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over. Move the potatoes to one side of the pan and keep the chicken on the other side.Pro tip – By now the potatoes have soaked up the chicken juices which is why we scatter them all over in the beginning.

Smash – Use the bottom of the glass to smash the potatoes.Pro tip – The potatoes are soft and have soaked up all the chicken juices from the pan so smash them carefully. Parmesan – Grate the parmesan generously over the smashed potatoes. Then, top with the hard grated cheddar.Pro tip – It is easier to sprinkle the cheese when the potatoes are all on one side of the pan. Bake – Put the sheet pan back into the oven and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more or until golden on top. Garnish – Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

Roast potatoes – If you do not want to make smashed potatoes with parmesan cheese, continue to roast the chicken and potatoes until they are nice and golden. Roasted potatoes are just as delicious.

Variations

Honey mustard sheet pan chicken – Brush the chicken with a marinade made with honey, mustard, and lemon juice. Sheet pan Greek chicken – Add whole olives to the sheet pan with chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan and feta cheese instead of cheddar. Sheet pan pesto chicken – Brush the chicken with pesto sauce instead of the dry rub and roast as above. Use grated mozzarella instead of cheddar. Cajun-spiced sheet pan chicken – Use cajun spice instead of the dry rub seasoning.

Tips for success

Always use the correct size sheet pan for cooking. Too large and the meat will stew rather than roast giving you mushy veggies. Too small will not provide even cooking. Line the pan with parchment for easy clean-up. Having said that, baking directly on the pan can give you crisp edges, which some of us enjoy. And use veggies with similar cooking times, or give the veggies that need longer cooking a head start. Keep the veggies moist by spraying them with oil so they won’t dry out. Also, a little extra olive oil on the potatoes will make them nice and crisp. Use the right cooking time for the right cuts of meat. I’ve used chicken legs but chicken breast usually cooks quicker. And not everything gets browned well on a sheet pan, so don’t be afraid to move things around. Today, I have made smashed potatoes but if you don’t like smashed potatoes with cheese. Leave them as is and continue to bake until roasted with crisp edges.