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by Robin

My toughest critic has FULLY endorsed this sheet pan chicken thighs and broccoli recipe. My picky eater son LOVES this meal. It’s his favourite and what he asks for nearly every time we ask him what he’d like for dinner.

As a self-confessed lazy cook, I endorse this meal too! It literally takes 5 minutes to prepare. A meal this easy should not get the rave reviews it does from our family – I feel like I’m cheating at life and I fully embrace that.

One fool-proof cooking time saver we’ve used for years is leaning on frozen vegetables.

There are so many reasons frozen veggies make great sense:

Prewashed – saves time!
Pre-cut – saves even more time!
Flash-frozen – can be even more nutritious than fresh veggies that have had to travel a distance!
Frozen veggies have much less sodium than canned, nothing else is added.
You can stock up when they’re on sale to save money!
Available year-round! You don’t need to plan around the seasons.
Less planning required: keep your freezer stocked with basics and you’ll always have what you need on hand.
Use just what you need, when you needed = less waste! You don’t need to throw away spoiled or unused food. (You know, those veggies your more optimistic self bought a couple weeks ago that are lurking in the back of the fridge now…)

Can you make this recipe with fresh broccoli instead of frozen?

Now, if you’re still not convinced that frozen broccoli is for you – no worries!

We’ve made this recipe with fresh broccoli with great results. In fact, the texture of the broccoli might be best with fresh; more tender-crisp. But – using fresh adds planning, cleaning and chopping – so it will take longer.

Fresh or frozen this meal is still easy and tasty! These crispy sheet pan chicken thighs are delicious and simple and healthy. I’m not sure what else anyone could look for in a meal!

Easy sheet pan chicken thighs and broccoli (aka Our Picky Eater’s Favorite Chicken)

Serves 4

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 35 min

Ingredients:

3 lb Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (6 to 8)
1 package frozen broccoli florets (500g) – or approx 1lb
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano, dried
½ tsp parsley, dried
1 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika

Directions for Easy sheet pan chicken thighs and broccoli:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil (for easy clean up!)

Arrange chicken thighs in the middle of the prepared baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Rub in olive oil to coat the thighs.

Place the broccoli on either side of the chicken thighs.

In a small bowl combine the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, basil, pepper and paprika.

Sprinkle about ¾ of the spice mix evenly over the chicken.

Sprinkle the remaining ¼ of the spices over the broccoli.

Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. (Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165F).

Pairs nicely with rice or mashed potatoes.

sheet pan chicken thighs with broccoli recipe

5 Minute Prep! Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Broccoli (aka Our Picky Eater’s Favorite Chicken)

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

These crispy sheet pan chicken thighs with broccoli are delicious and simple and healthy. Prepped in minutes this is the perfect meal for cooks with no time!

Ingredients

3 lb Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (6 to 8)
1 package frozen broccoli florets (500g) – or approx 1lb
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano, dried
½ tsp parsley, dried
1 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil (for easy cleanup!)
Arrange chicken thighs in the middle of prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub in olive oil to coat the thighs. Place the broccoli on either side of the chicken thighs.
In a small bowl combine the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, basil, pepper and paprika.
Sprinkle about ¾ of the spice mix evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ of the spices over the broccoli.
Bake in oven for 35 to 40 minutes. (Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165F).
Enjoy! Pairs nicely with rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 666Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 415mgSodium: 1232mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 86g

We are sheet pan meal fanatics! There’s so much to love about them! Here’s a sampling of our healthy sheet pan recipes:

20+ Healthy Sheet Pan Dinners
One Pan Chicken Fajitas in Oven
Sheet Pan Baked Chicken Kabobs in Oven Without Skewers
Quick & Delicious Sheet Pan Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
One Pan Healthy Sausage and Veggies
Honey Glazed Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies Recipe
Sheet Pan Pork Chops and Vegetables with Maple Miso Glaze: Tasty, Healthy, Easy & Fast!

Need more quick, healthy family-friendly recipes? Here you go!

Robin & Ed Hicken Creators

Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 25 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.

Amy

Saturday 14th of October 2023

Looks like a delicious recipe. Excited to try it. Is the broccoli added still frozen or does it need to be thawed?

Monday 16th of October 2023

@Robin & Ed Hicken, Thanks for the info. Made this tonight with thawed broccoli. Very yummy! The mix of spices is outstanding. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Robin & Ed Hicken

Sunday 15th of October 2023

Hi Amy! We've done both with good results. My first choice is to thaw the broccoli - especially if it has a lot of snow-like ice crystals on it - when those melt it can make it quite wet. But, in a pinch, I've gone right from freezer to oven. :)

Audra Resop

Tuesday 28th of March 2023

Thank you for this recipe! I made it and thought it was really good. My husband doesn't like broccoli, so I was wondering if you have ever tried it with potatos instead?

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

Glad you liked our recipe, Audra! I haven't tried this one with potatoes - but it's possible. You'd need to prepare them similar to this recipe. The potatoes need to be cut small and covered with a bit of oil. Or you could substitute the broccoli for another vegetable e.g. asparagus or diced carrots. :)

Amy Palmer

Sunday 12th of March 2023

All I have is skin on bone in, how much time would that add to cooking?

frugalfamilytimes

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook quickly. Bone-in thighs, however, take a bit more time. I haven’t tried it, but I’d think adding 10 minutes may work. To be safest Use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thighs. They're finished cooking when the temperature reads 165°F

Keri

Thursday 21st of July 2022

I made this meal and liked it a lot! The spice mix was a little salty for me, so when I make it again, I'll use less salt. But I definitely will be making it again.

Tuesday 26th of July 2022

Glad you liked it, Keri! Everyone has different salt sensitivities - but I wonder - did you use garlic salt instead of garlic powder? That would make it much much saltier. :)