Chicken Sweet Potato Bake
This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.
Chicken sweet potato bake is a rich, flavorful sheet pan dinner. Cooked with apples and rosemary, it’s fragrant, juicy and delicious. This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients. Get dinner on the table fast with this 1-pan meal.
📌PIN CHICKEN SWEET POTATO BAKE
These succulent chicken thighs and sweet potatoes are tender, savory and comforting. Rubbed down with a thick, buttery, herb-and-garlic mix that includes olive oil, this chicken is aromatic and deeply flavorful!
This hearty sheet pan dinner is a healthy mid-week meal. It’s also an ideal recipe for the busy Thanksgiving season. For potlucks, transfer to a crockpot with chicken broth to keep meat and veggies warm, moist and juicy.
Serve with cheesy breadsticks, Grandma’s baking powder biscuits, or buttery Parker House rolls.
Want crispier skin on your chicken thighs? It’s easy to do. Before baking in the oven, sear the chicken in a skillet with olive oil. For instructions on the process, see the Recipe FAQ section of this post.
🛒 ingredients
For the freshest meal, buy your meat the same day from the butcher shop. Find veggies, fruit and herbs at the farmers market.
CHICKEN THIGHS
- Chicken thighs, bone-in/skin-on
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh rosemary
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT
- Sweet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Sea salt
- Granny Smith apples
🥣 EASY INGREDIENT SWAPS
This chicken sweet potato bake is a versatile recipe. If you’re missing an ingredient, don’t put on your shoes and head to the store. Instead, head to your fridge and pantry to check for these easy ingredient swaps!
It’s convenient to use what you already have on hand!
- Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in/skin-on chicken breasts, wings or legs.
- Olive Oil: This ingredient helps the chicken and veggies crisp up in the oven. The best swap is canola oil.
- Garlic Cloves: Use garlic powder instead. Sub with 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder for each clove of garlic.
- Butter: This ingredient helps keep the chicken thighs brown and moist. Margarine is the best substitute!
- Fresh Rosemary: Use dried rosemary.
- Sweet Potatoes: Use another sturdy root veggie with earthy sweetness: carrots, baby potatoes, red potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Granny Smith Apples: This tart apple holds its shape. Select another tart apple like Fuji. Or try green cabbage cut into wedges.
🧑🏼🍳 ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR COOKING CHICKEN
For food safety, it’s important to have a dependable meat thermometer that gives an accurate reading every time. It helps avoid food-borne illness from undercooked meat.
An instant-read thermometer is also a basic solution for preventing over-cooked, dried-out chicken. Say goodbye to second guessing if meat is done. Buy a thermometer used by pros through the Amazon affiliate link below.
📖 recipe steps
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray. Rinse chicken under cool running water. Pat pieces dry between paper towels. Loosen the skin, pulling it away from the meat.
- STEP 1: Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine softened butter with olive oil, garlic, and minced rosemary. Rub the mixture over the thighs, tucking a little underneath the skin of each piece. This will keep the meat moist during baking, and assist the skin in getting brown and crisp. Transfer to the center of a baking tray, skin side up.
- STEP 2: Bake thighs for 10 minutes while prepping fruit and veggies. Core the apples. Slice into wedges with the skin on. Put them aside. Peel sweet potatoes. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces so they’ll cook quickly and evenly. Mince garlic. Add potatoes, garlic, and salt to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine. Remove chicken from oven. Spread sweet potatoes in an even layer around the thighs. Return pan to oven. Bake 15 minutes.
- STEP 3: Flip the sweet potatoes over with a spatula. Add apple slices to the pan, evenly surrounding the chicken thighs.
- STEP 4: Cook the sheet pan dinner 5 to 10 more minutes, or until skin is crisp and brown AND a food thermometer inserted into the innermost part of each thigh reads 165°F. According to USDA guidelines for poultry, this is the minimum internal temperature for food safety.
EXPERT TIPS: To keep veggies and chicken juicy and moist, drizzle melted butter with garlic over the sheet pan dinner when it comes out of the oven. Grind more pepper over the top and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs.
👩🏻🍳 RECIPE FAQ
These are the most frequently asked questions when making this chicken sweet potato bake sheet pan dinner, along with the most helpful answers for recipe success!
Yes, it’s absolutely safe to cook poultry with potatoes or other veggies in the same pan as long as meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
The choice of either type is a personal preference. Some prefer chicken thighs as the meat is juicier than breasts. They say it’s more flavorful.
Absolutely! Just know that boneless chicken cooks faster than in-bone pieces of meat. Flatten the meat to an even thickness. Throughout the cooking process, drizzle olive oil over the pieces, or baste with garlic butter and/or a little chicken broth to keep meat juicy and tender.
Try fresh thyme and fresh oregano. These herbs mix well with rosemary and will result in a delicious herby meal. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can substitute rosemary with sage and thyme. For spices, try subbing lemon pepper for black pepper. So yummy!
This is not recommended. The skin needs time to brown and crisp. Covering the chicken with foil while baking with produce thighs that have pale skin with a rubbery texture.
Sear it before baking! Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to the pan with the skin side down. Sear both sides until the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Baste the chicken with garlic butter throughout the cooking process. Keep a meat thermometer close at hand. After 30 minutes of baking, check the internal temperature. Once the chicken reaches 165°F, remove pan from oven. Overcooked chicken becomes dry.
To brighten the flavor, use a lavish squeeze of lemon juice. Or sprinkle the meat with a bit of lemon pepper or citrus seasoning along with a few drizzles of melted garlic butter.
Once chicken has reached a safe internal temperature, cover the pan with foil and let the meat rest 15 minutes. This allows enough time for the chicken to redistribute juices throughout the meat.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or zip-top kitchen bag. Store this meal in the fridge for up to 2 days.
🍽 MORE EASY CHICKEN DINNERS
If you love easy chicken recipes like chicken sweet potato bake, you’ll enjoy these too! Add them to your meal plan rotation.
- Pesto Chicken Bake
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Mexican Chicken and Rice
- Chicken Piccata
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Chicken Tostadas
- Roasted Cornish Hen
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When served at family gatherings, this healthy sheet pan dinner gets raves for its juicy savory taste and lovely flavor combinations. It’s a fall favorite!
If you tried this chicken sweet potato bake and enjoyed it, leave a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with a friend!
CHICKEN SWEET POTATO BAKE
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This chicken sweet potato bake features herby, juicy chicken thighs with sweet potatoes and apples. This easy sheet pan dinner gets supper on the table fast! Enjoy a quick clean-up afterwards.
Ingredients
FOR CHICKEN THIGHS
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in/skin-on)
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- Sea salt, as desired
- Black pepper (freshly-ground), as desired
FOR VEGGIES + FRUIT
- 2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or more, if desired)
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray, or wipe with oil. Rinse chicken under cool running water. Pat pieces dry between paper towels. Loosen the skin, pulling it away from the meat.
- Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine softened butter with olive oil, garlic, and minced rosemary. Rub the mixture over the thighs, tucking a little underneath the skin of each piece. This will keep the meat moist during baking, and assist the skin in getting brown and crisp. Transfer to the center of a baking tray, skin side up.
- Bake thighs for 10 minutes while prepping fruit and veggies. Core the apples, leaving skin on. Slice into wedges. Put them aside. Peel sweet potatoes. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces so they’ll cook quickly and evenly. Mince garlic. Add potatoes, garlic, and salt to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine.
- Remove chicken from oven. Spread sweet potatoes in an even layer around the thighs. Return pan to oven. Bake 15 minutes.
- Flip the sweet potatoes over with a spatula. Add apple slices to the pan, evenly surrounding the chicken thighs. Cook the sheet pan dinner 5 to 10 more minutes, or until skin is crisp and brown AND a food thermometer inserted into the innermost part of each thigh reads 165°F. According to USDA guidelines for poultry, this is the minimum internal temperature for food safety.
RECIPE TIPS: To keep veggies and chicken juicy and moist, drizzle melted butter with garlic (or olive oil) over the sheet pan dinner when it comes out of the oven. Grind more pepper over the top and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs.
Notes
HOW TO GET THE CHICKEN SKIN CRISPIER: Sear it before baking! Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to the pan with the skin side down. Sear both sides until the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
MORE HERBS AND SPICES FOR THIS RECIPE: Try thyme, oregano and parsley. These herbs mix well with rosemary and will result in a delicious herby meal. You can also try subbing lemon pepper for the black pepper. So yummy!
BEST TIP FOR TENDER JUICY CHICKEN: Once chicken has reached a safe internal temperature, cover the pan with foil and let the meat rest 15 minutes. This allows enough time for the chicken to redistribute juices throughout the meat.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Category: Dinner, One-Pot
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
CHICKEN SWEET POTATO BAKE > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Do you love the ease of making a whole meal on a single baking tray? Are you a fan of sweet potatoes? What seasonal veggies would you enjoy pairing with these sheet pan chicken thighs? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Love everything with sweet potatoes. Always looking for more recipes thanks :)
Perfect comfort food for weekend lunch! We just enjoyed this. So tender and flavorful. Thank you!
This sounds incredible! I do love a casserole type dish and this sounds just so yummy – can’t wait to try it this weekend.
Our favorite ingredients in an easy sheet pan dinner! This is my kind of recipe! I made it last night. It is a winner!
The directions were super easy to follow and we loved the flavors! Thanks for sharing!