Roast chicken and kale. One pan. Complete meal. Easy clean-up.
Who wouldn’t want that?
But wait, wait…don’t let me stop there.
Tasty. Nutritious. Comforting. Hearty. DELICIOUS.
My niece, Tina cooked up a one-pan roast chicken and kale dish for me and my family this past summer, and besides being thrilled that she was getting into cooking and wanted to make a meal for us, it was also so simple and so good!
I loved it so much in so many ways that I was inspired to make it myself once I got back to Hong Kong!
I have tweaked the recipe a bit to make it my own, but it is essentially the same and it has become one of our favorite meals. And if you haven’t noticed, I’ve added more vegetables to the mix than just kale…but you can also be a purist and keep it to chicken and kale!
Who can say no to juicy chicken with flavorful crispy skin, sitting on a bed of roasted kale and vegetables that have all been flavored by the chicken and spices? Not me!
And again…all. Cooked. In. One. Pan!
We are all always looking for simple meals that are easy to prepare and taste delicious, and this recipe definitely qualifies. And the cleanup afterward is no sweat!
This roast chicken and kale dish is sure to become one of your go-to recipes for weeknights…or any night! I’d say this is definitely a winner winner, chicken dinner! 😉
~ Lisa.
One-Pan Roast Chicken and Kale
Ingredients
Vegetables:
- 3-4 large bunches of kale, washed, leaves removed from ribs
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 1/2 medium sized cauliflower, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
Chicken:
- 8 chicken thighs, skin-on
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Lemon wedges for garnishing, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400 deg F. (200C).
- Toss kale leaves, sweet potato, and cauliflower together with oil.
- Spread vegetables evenly in a large baking dish.
- Layer sliced onions on top of the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and mix well.
- Sprinkle half of seasoning on the bottom side of the chicken thighs.
- Layer the chicken on top of the vegetables in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle remaining half of seasoning over the top of the chicken thighs.
- Cover pan with pan lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove cover and roast for another 35 minutes until chicken is cooked (internal temperature should be 165 deg F) and vegetables are tender.
- Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Boneless or bone-in chicken thighs work for this recipe.
- Feel free to use other chicken pieces besides thighs, but using skin-on pieces makes for more flavorful chicken.
- Toss in other vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, etc. or stick with all kale if you do not want a vegetable mix.
- Toss in garlic cloves with the skins still on to roast with the chicken and vegetables and you'll have creamy roasted garlic to go with the meal!
- Don't worry if the pan is really full when it's ready to go in the oven. I pack a lot of kale into the pan, but it cooks down and everything will be about half the height it was when it went in!
Nutrition
If you make this dish and want to share your photo on Facebook or Instagram, be sure to tag me @dayinthekitchen!
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- Dry Brined Roast Chicken
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- Crispy Crunchy Cornflakes Chicken
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- Roasted Veggies and Sausages
Millie J.
April 10, 2019 at 9:33 amOh, I want to cook this – I have a half-chicken that I was planning to roast, and a bunch of kale, and this would be a great way to combine them! One question: To me a “sheet pan” has a very low rim, whereas a baking dish has a higher rim like a cake pan. Which one do you use, and what are its dimensions (more or less)? Thanks!
Lisa
April 10, 2019 at 12:08 pmThanks for the question, Millie. I used a baking dish with higher rims to keep everything contained, similar in size to a lasagna pan…about 9×13. My niece uses a big turkey roasting pan when she makes this recipe. Hope that helps!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
January 18, 2019 at 9:43 amOne pan dinners really are life savers, especially this time of year! The last thing I want to do during a busy week is fuss with a lot of clean up after dinner. Love that you added some sweet potatoes in there with the kale and chicken!
Lisa
January 18, 2019 at 8:25 pmThanks, Leanne! I find using a mix of vegetables not only provides flavor, but it also offers variety for those who may not like kale as much!
Denise@urbnspice
January 17, 2019 at 4:03 amYour Chicken and Kale one-sheet dinner looks amazing,Lisa! I am all about adding more veggies like you did and am so inspired to try this dish. Thanks so much for sharing.
Lisa
January 18, 2019 at 8:23 pmThanks, Denise! I hope you enjoy it!
Philip - Chef Sous Chef
January 17, 2019 at 12:56 amA perfect healthy and simple weeknight meal. That chicken skin looks crispy!
Elaine
January 16, 2019 at 5:54 amSheet pan dinners are the BEST! So easy, so good and such easy clean-up as well. This chicken looks delicious!
Jessica
January 16, 2019 at 2:16 amLOVE one-pan dinners! And really am enjoying the kale you’ve added into this recipe – goes so well with the other flavours!
Lisa
January 18, 2019 at 7:48 pmThanks, Jessica!