Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Chicken With Roasted Vegetables Recipe

The combination of honey and lemon is absolutely timeless. A perfect balance of sweet and sharp, the blend of flavors is fresh and versatile, making it an ideal option no matter the occasion. Unlike most classic food pairings, honey and lemon works well for both savory and sweet dishes, from cookies and cakes to meat, fish, vegetables, and salads. It even makes a delicious and healing drink all by itself — it's a true all-rounder in the culinary world. 

In this sheet pan honey lemon chicken recipe by Jennine Rye, the sweet and tangy flavor combo is paired with juicy chicken thighs and a colorful assortment of root vegetables. The best thing about this dish, aside from its delicious flavor, is that it's a one-pan meal. Simply marinate the meat, then throw the chopped root veggies onto a sheet pan along with the chicken. Pop the whole thing in the oven, and you have a complete meal ready in under 1 hour. Ideal for busy weekdays and lazy weekends alike — not to mention quick, easy, and light on washing up — what's not to love about this chicken dinner?

To begin this sheet pan honey lemon chicken with roasted vegetables, first you will need to gather the ingredients. For the marinated chicken, you will want chicken thighs, lemons, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt and black pepper. For the roasted vegetables, shop for baby potatoes, parsnips, carrots, beets, and a red onion.

Juice 2 of the lemons.

In a medium bowl, mix the lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper until well combined.

Add chicken thighs to the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F.

Place baby potatoes, parsnip, carrots, beetroots, and red onion onto a large sheet pan.

Drizzle vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Nestle the marinated chicken thighs among the vegetables, adding any remaining marinade on top.

Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and arrange the pieces over the chicken and vegetables.

Transfer sheet pan to the oven to roast for 50 minutes.

Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

Root vegetables are (as the name suggests) grown underground, which means that when they are harvested, they tend to be covered in earth. For this reason, people often choose to peel them before cooking them, so they end up completely clean. But did you know that by doing this, you might be missing out on a dose of vitamins and minerals? The skins of these veggies are perfectly edible and very nutrient-dense, so if the root vegetables are clean when they reach you (or if you don't mind washing them yourself), you can simply cook them unpeeled. At the very least, it will end up saving you time a lot of time if you don't peel your root veggies.

However, the skins of vegetables have a different, tougher texture compared to the rest of the flesh, so if you're catering to sensitive eaters who are more resistant to trying new textures, you might be better off peeling them. Rest assured, though, that there isn't a right way or a wrong way to prepare them — just go with what suits you best.

This recipe uses skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs as the protein of choice. This is because the thigh meat has a richer flavor, thanks to its higher content of connective tissue that melts down when cooked, resulting in a more moist and tender finished dish. While this specific cut of chicken makes an excellent choice for baking, it can be tricky to figure out whether the meat is properly cooked, partially due to it being on the bone. 

One way to check if chicken is done cooking is to prick the thickest part of the meat and take a look at the juices that flow out. If the juices are pink, it needs more time, and if they run clear, the meat has cooked for long enough and is ready to eat. Although there is wisdom in this method, the juice test is far from precise, because in some cases, the juices may look clear even if the chicken is still undercooked. As with any protein, the safest and surest way to tell if it is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat (the part that will take the longest to cook) and check the reading. For chicken, it should read at least 165 F.