Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

Italian-flavored roasted chicken on a sheet pan with veggies.

Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

This delicious Sheet Pan Italian Chicken is an easy, balanced one-pan meal. Perfectly cooked, juicy chicken thighs with crispy skin help flavor a medley of Mediterranean inspired veggies including eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Marinade time: 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 443kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade (see note 1):

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 small thighs, see note 2)

For salting the eggplant:

1 large eggplant cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon Salt

For the vegetables:

1/2 onion cut into 1-inch pieces, layers not separated
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil for serving
Crusty bread for serving, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To marinate the chicken:

In a large bowl or zipper-top plastic bag, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 12 hours, covered in the refrigerator.

To salt the eggplant:

Add the cubed eggplant to a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to coat, then let sit to drain for at least 40 minutes. You can let the eggplant drain as long as you let the chicken marinate (if salting the eggplant more than 1 hour, transfer the colander to the refrigerator).
After draining, rinse the eggplant well, then spread on a clean kitchen towel. Press down hard with a second kitchen towel to push out any excess liquid, as if you were pushing down on and squeezing a sponge.

To roast the chicken and vegetables:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add eggplant, onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, olive oil, and Italian seasoning and toss to coat. Arrange on half of a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper (I like 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).
Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Place skin-side down on the other side of the sheet pan. Drizzle any remaining marinade over the vegetables (be sure to get as many slices of garlic as possible; you want that!).
Roast for 20 minutes, then remove baking sheet from oven. Stir vegetables and turn chicken. Continue roasting until chicken reaches 180 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a plate or rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Stir the vegetables and roast until tender and browned, about 10 minutes longer. Season the vegetables to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter or bowl and garnish with fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread if desired.

Notes

Marinade: For the best flavor, marinade the chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. If you forgot to marinade your chicken, make the marinade, reserving 2-3 tablespoons. Toss chicken in the remaining marinade and continue as directed. Drizzle reserved marinade on the chicken after it has cooked (sort of like a post-roast vinaigrette).
Chicken thighs: Substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts if desired (aim for 2 pounds total). You may have to adjust your baking time and the chicken won't be as juicy.
Yield: This recipe makes 4 generous servings, enough for 1 large chicken thigh and 2 cups of vegetables per person.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition