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
- ½ medium sized cauliflower, cut into small chunks
- ½ onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup light olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
Chicken:
- 8 chicken thighs, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon 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!
- Rice Option: Rinse 1 ½ cups long-grain rice and spread in bottom of baking dish. Add 2 cups chicken broth. Continue with the recipe as stated with the vegetables and chicken and cooking time.
Nutrition
**Recipe Notes updated April 4th, 2020 with the option to include rice in the pan.
Deanna
Love this recipe! so easy to make, doesn't have a bunch of dishes to clean up after, easy to improvise if you don't have all the ingredients.
Adding the rice was a great idea since the rice soaks in the flavours from the dish.
I so glad that you tried it and liked it, Deanna! I love it with the rice on the bottom, too!
Caitríona
Do you think it would be possible to use quinoa or something instead of rice?
Yes, this would absolutely work with quinoa!
Robyn
Delicious. Lovely flavours and simple to prepare. Will cook again, and next time try with rice combo
Thanks, Robyn! I'm so glad you liked it, and you will love it with the rice!
Robyn
Lisa, I made this last night with the rice. Very tasty.Used chicken breasts, just removed them a little earlier to 'rest' and allow the sweet potato to continue cooking. Clean plates all round!
Clean plates are a great sign! Thanks so much for the update!
Millie J.
Oh, 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!
Thanks for the question, Millie. I used a baking dish with higher rims to keep everything contained, similar in size to a lasagna pan...about 9x13. My niece uses a big turkey roasting pan when she makes this recipe. Hope that helps!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
One 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!
Thanks, 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
Your 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.
Thanks, Denise! I hope you enjoy it!
Philip - Chef Sous Chef
A perfect healthy and simple weeknight meal. That chicken skin looks crispy!
Elaine
Sheet pan dinners are the BEST! So easy, so good and such easy clean-up as well. This chicken looks delicious!
Jessica
LOVE one-pan dinners! And really am enjoying the kale you've added into this recipe - goes so well with the other flavours!
Thanks, Jessica!