Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs

It’s been a crazy week for me, traveling to New Orleans, back home very briefly, and then to Austin. All for work. Because of this, I figured it would be a good idea to post a super easy, yet equally delicious, recipe for everyone out there that is just having one of those weeks. These Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs are simple, in that they’re a one sheet pan dinner recipe. Basically what that means is that you can place everything on a baking sheet, just one baking sheet is all you need, and then pop it into the oven and forget about it for a while. 40 minutes later, you’ll have a flavorful dinner without any of the effort or all those dirty dishes! Sheet pan dinners are one of my favorite things to make during the week, especially when I don’t have that much time to invest in the kitchen because life gets in the way. 

This dish is basically a protein (in this case we’re using bone-in chicken thighs) roasted on a large baking sheet with lots of vegetables. The best part about this dish isn’t the flavor and taste, but rather the fact that it’s extremely versatile and completely customizable. Feel free to adapt it to your tastes or to change up the vegetables with whatever you already have on hand. There’s no need to stress about this dish because if you can turn on an oven, then you’re good to go. You’re practically half way there, so why not give it a try this week? I’m thinking Mediterranean 

Let’s start by tossing together all of the vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh oregano on a large baking sheet. You can make this with any large baking sheet you have on hand, but ideally, I highly recommend using it with half-sized professional quality baking sheets which you can order online. I like those the best because they’re sturdy, don’t warp during baking and are relatively inexpensive. I use them so much in the kitchen, that they’re really one of my must-haves in any kitchen! 

I’m using a mixture of “mediterranean” veggies. Red onion, red bell pepper, potatoes, garlic, artichoke hearts, capers, and cherry tomatoes. Feel free to add or omit any as you see fit. Once the veggies are well coated in the oil and seasoning, give the pan a good shake so that everything is in a single layer. Place the chicken thighs on top and then season the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh oregano as well. 

**Note: I’m using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe for several reasons. The main reason is that chicken thighs have more flavor. That’s the bottom line. They really do, because they have more fat running through them and as we all know, fat equals flavor. I’m also using bone-in because even though it takes longer to cook, it does prevent the chicken from drying out. You can use another piece of chicken, like legs or breasts, but just keep in mind that the cooking time will vary.**

Roast the chicken and veggies in a preheated 400 degree F oven until the chicken has begin to brown and crisp, and the veggies have softened, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on the olives. Return to the oven and let cook for another 10 minutes. 

**Tip: Adding the olives at the last 10 minutes will keep them from over cooking and becoming too bitter. The last 10 minutes of cooking will just cook them long enough and finish crisping up the chicken, making sure it’s cooked all the way.**

Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for about 5 t0 10 minutes before serving. This will allow all of the juices from the chicken to stay inside, and ensure that they don’t dry out. Resting time is crucial with any piece of meat, after it’s been cooked. Even if it’s just 5 minutes. I promise it’ll make a big difference. 

Then right before serving, sprinkle everything with fresh lemon juice, crumbled feta and chopped fresh parsley. This will all give the dish a nice fresh vibrant finish that really rounds out the flavors nicely. 

I like to serve this dish all on it’s own, the chicken with the roasted veggies (which has now picked up all of that great flavor from the chicken), when I want a somewhat light dinner, yet hearty and filling. BUT if you’re entertaining with this, or want to make it a bigger meal, try serving it with a side of couscous, basmati or jasmine rice, or even a greek salad on the side. 

I always say that this is a great clean out the fridge and pantry type of dish, because you can really customize it a thousand different ways. And cook it with things you already have on hand. Feel free to adapt it as you see fit, or if you don’t care for one of the ingredients listed here, then you can leave it out or swap it for something else. It’s a great versatile recipe that you need to make soon! 

5 from 1 vote

Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs

Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Thighs are a baking sheet pan dinner dream, and it's incredibly easy to make. Filled with flavor and perfect for any night! All you need is one baking sheet and little to no prep.

Servings 6 to 7 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes cut in half
• 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons capers drained
• 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 teaspoons salt divided
• 2 teaspoons black pepper divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
• 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 small lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a large baking sheet, toss together the onion, bell pepper, garlic, potatoes, artichoke heart, tomatoes and capers with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, red pepper flakes, and half of the oregano until evenly combined. Shake the pan so that everything is in a single layer.
• Place the chicken things on top of the veggies, spacing them out evenly on the baking sheet. Drizzle the chicken with the remaining olive oil and season with the remaining salt, pepper and oregano.
• Roast until the chicken has begun to brown on top, and the veggies have softened, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with kalamata olives. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer. The chicken should register 165 degrees F with a thermometer. Remove the pan from the oven let the chicken rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh lemon juice, feta and parsley. Enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite