Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
Table of contents
Intro
When I want a full dinner without a bunch of dishes, a sheet pan meal is always a good idea. These BBQ chicken thighs roast right on top of sweet potatoes, so all those flavorful drippings go straight into the vegetables. Then fresh green beans and red onion get added, and everything finishes cooking together with a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce brushed over the chicken.
I used a bag of peeled, precut sweet potatoes to make this even easier because, as much as I love sweet potatoes, I don’t always feel like cutting them! The potatoes turn out very tender, the green beans still have a little bite, and a few minutes under the broiler give the chicken a delicious sticky glaze. It’s a hearty dinner with very little prep, and everything cooks on one pan.
Check out these other great recipes while you are here!
Sausage and Sweet Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken with Potatoes and Green Beans
Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage with Green Beans and Potatoes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A complete meal: Chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans, and onion cook together.
- Quick prep: Bagged sweet potatoes save you from peeling and chopping.
- Sweet, smoky flavor: Honey garlic BBQ rub, smoked paprika, and sweet heat sauce make a delicious combination.
- Tender chicken: Bone-in thighs stay juicy and flavorful as they roast.
- Easy cleanup: One large sheet pan does most of the work.
Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: Six thighs make three hearty servings. Season underneath the skin as well as on the outside.
- Sweet potatoes: One 1-pound bag of fresh, peeled and cubed sweet potatoes keeps the prep simple. These become tender rather than crispy as they roast beneath the chicken.
- Fresh green beans: One pound, with the ends trimmed. Adding them partway through cooking keeps them tender-crisp.
- Red onion: Cut one onion into small chunks. It softens as it roasts without becoming mushy.
- Olive oil: About 4 tablespoons total, divided between the potatoes, chicken, and green bean mixture.
- Salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning blend: Used on the sweet potatoes, green beans, and onion. Adjust the amount for the saltiness of your blend.
- Smoked paprika: Adds smoky flavor to both the chicken and sweet potatoes.
- Tony’s More Spice Creole Seasoning: Gives the sweet potatoes extra flavor and a little heat.
- Fire & Smoke Society Honey Garlic Sweet BBQ Rub: The main seasoning for the chicken. A similar sweet BBQ rub works, too.
- Kinder’s Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce: Creates the sticky glaze. Substitute your favorite BBQ sauce if desired.
How to Make Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
First, preheat the oven to 425°F. Use a very large, broiler-safe rimmed sheet pan. For easy cleanup and a simple transition to broiling, line it with lightly greased aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Next, place the sweet potatoes on the pan. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with the salt, pepper, and garlic blend, smoked paprika, and Tony’s More Spice Creole Seasoning. Toss well, then spread across the pan.
Then, place the chicken thighs in a bowl and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the honey garlic sweet BBQ rub and additional smoked paprika. Rub the seasonings all over the thighs, including underneath the skin. Arrange the chicken skin side up over the sweet potatoes and roast for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the green beans and red onion with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the salt, pepper, and garlic blend.
After 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and temporarily move the chicken to a plate reserved for the partially cooked chicken. Add the green beans and onion to the sweet potatoes and gently mix everything together. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, and brush with the BBQ sauce. Wash the plate before reusing it for cooked food.
Next, return the pan to the oven for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked to your liking and the chicken is cooked through. Check the thickest part of the thighs without touching the bone. Chicken must reach at least 165°F; mine reached 175°F and was tender and juicy.
Finally, broil for up to about 5 minutes, watching closely, until the sauce forms a sticky glaze. Start checking after 1–2 minutes because the sugar in the sauce can darken quickly. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for Success
- Use a very large rimmed pan. It needs enough room for six thighs and all the vegetables. Divide between two pans if needed.
- Season beneath the skin. This gets the flavor directly onto the chicken.
- Add the green beans later. They need less cooking time than the chicken.
- Stir the potatoes gently. They will already be softening after the first roast.
- Expect tender potatoes and glazed chicken. The potatoes absorb the chicken drippings, so they won’t become crispy. The broiler makes the BBQ sauce sticky, but the chicken skin won’t necessarily be crisp.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. The seasoning measurements in the recipe card are estimates because I seasoned this dish by eye. Blends vary in saltiness and heat.
- Watch closely while broiling. The glaze can go from caramelized to burned quickly.
Serving Suggestions
This is a full dinner on its own, with chicken, sweet potatoes, and green vegetables all together. If you want something extra, serve it with cornbread, dinner rolls, or a simple side salad. Keep extra BBQ sauce at the table for anyone who wants more.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Make ahead: Trim the green beans and cut the onion a day ahead. Refrigerate in a covered container. You can also season the chicken ahead and refrigerate it separately from the vegetables until cooking time.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3–4 days.
Reheating: Place the chicken and vegetables in a baking dish, cover, and warm at 350°F until heated through. Uncover near the end if desired. Individual portions can also be microwaved. Reheat chicken to 165°F, and keep in mind that the vegetables will soften more when reheated.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 pound fresh peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
- 1 pound fresh green beans trimmed
- 1 red onion cut into small chunks
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons salt pepper, and garlic seasoning blend, divided, or to taste
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika divided
- ½ teaspoon Creole Seasoning or to taste
- 1½ tablespoons Chicken Seasoning or to taste
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a very large, broiler-safe rimmed sheet pan with lightly greased aluminum foil.
- Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt-pepper-garlic blend, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and the Creole seasoning. Spread on the pan.
- Toss chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the BBQ rub, and the remaining 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, seasoning underneath the skin as well. Arrange skin side up over the sweet potatoes. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss green beans and onion with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt-pepper-garlic blend.
- Remove the pan from the oven and temporarily transfer chicken to a plate reserved for partially cooked chicken. Gently mix green beans and onion with the sweet potatoes. Return chicken to the pan and brush with BBQ sauce. Wash the plate before reusing.
- Roast for about 20 more minutes, until vegetables are cooked to your liking and chicken reaches at least 165°F in the thickest part, away from bone. My chicken reached 175°F.
- Broil for up to about 5 minutes, checking after 1–2 minutes and watching closely, until the sauce is sticky and glazed. Rest chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Notes
- Seasoning measurements are estimates; the original dish was seasoned by eye. Adjust for your preferred flavor and the salt content of your blends.
- Sweet potatoes will be very tender but hold their shape. Green beans will be tender-crisp, and onions will be soft.
- Cooking time varies with thigh size, potato cube size, pan crowding, and your oven. Remove finished vegetables if the chicken needs longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different BBQ sauce or rub?
Yes! Use your favorite sweet, smoky, or spicy BBQ sauce and a similar BBQ rub. For less heat, choose a mild sauce and reduce the Creole seasoning.
Can I use regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes?
Yes. Cut them into small, even pieces and check that they are fork-tender before serving. Their cooking time may differ from the precut sweet potatoes.
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Boneless thighs cook faster, so they need a different schedule. Give the potatoes a head start, then add the chicken later and check its temperature for doneness. The timing in this recipe is for bone-in thighs.
Will the sweet potatoes get crispy?
No. They roast beneath the chicken and absorb the drippings, making them soft and flavorful. This recipe has tender sweet potatoes rather than crispy roasted cubes.
Can I skip broiling?
Yes. Once the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are ready, you can serve the dinner without broiling. The sauce will be less caramelized and sticky.
