Full-flavored sheet pan dinners are a dream. I loved that this one was seasoned with smoked paprika- it has such a fabulous depth of flavor. The “jammy” roasted tomatoes were sweet and delicious. I served the chicken and sauce over a bed of brown Basmati rice to soak up every last drop.
This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I incorporated broccoli florets and increased the amount of garlic. In addition to rice, I served this dish with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes. Wonderful.
Yield: Serves 4
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 10 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
- 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
- 1 T sweet or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (preferably different colors), halved
- 2 cups broccoli florets, optional
- 2 ounces diced pancetta or bacon
- 1/4 cup torn fresh dill, parsley or other herbs, for serving (I used cilantro)
- freshly ground black pepper
- brown Basmati rice, for serving, optional
- Heat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
- Season chicken all over with salt, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Smash all the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and peel them.
- Finely grate two of the garlic cloves into a small bowl. Stir in the 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, oregano, brown sugar, and cumin. Pour over chicken, tossing to coat.
- Add tomatoes, broccoli florets (if using) and remaining smashed, peeled garlic cloves to baking sheet, spreading them out around the chicken. Season tomatoes and broccoli lightly with salt and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
- Scatter pancetta on top.
- Roast until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir the tomatoes and pancetta, but don’t disturb the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Stir the tomatoes, broccoli, and pancetta around in the pan, scraping up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom and sides, and stir in the herbs and black pepper to taste.
- Taste and add salt, if needed, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if you like.
- Place a bed of rice on a platter, if desired. Transfer the reserved chicken to the platter.
- Spoon tomatoes, broccoli, garlic and pancetta over the chicken to serve.
thebrookcook 
I love sheet pan recipes. They
are so easy.
Me too! I loved how colorful this one was too. 🙂