Garlic Lemon Sheet-Pan Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
Chicken pieces roast over potatoes and carrots with garlic and lemon until the edges caramelize and the juices soak into the vegetables. A one-tray dinner, not spicy, built on garlic and lemon.
- Total
- 95 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 65 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Zesting
- Savory
- No rush
- Oven
Instructions
-
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 220°C. Line a large rimmed baking tray with aluminum foil. Cut the potatoes into 2 cm cubes and the carrots into 1.5 cm slices. Spread them on the tray in a single layer.
~10 min
Cutting vegetables into uniform pieces ensures they cook at the same rate, preventing some from burning while others stay raw.
-
Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss with your hands until every piece is coated, then spread them back into a single layer.
~5 min
Coating vegetables in oil and seasoning helps them roast evenly and develop flavor without sticking to the tray.
-
Roast the potatoes and carrots for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the potatoes are just tender at the tip of a knife.
~20 min
Roasting vegetables first gives them a head start so they become tender and caramelized before the chicken is added.
Roasting Roast at high heat for caramelization, but watch for burning; use foil to shield if needed. Ensure even browning by not overcrowding the tray.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the vegetables roast, cut the whole chicken into 8 pieces (2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks) and pat them dry with paper towel. Finely chop 6 garlic cloves. Zest 1 lemon into a small bowl, then add the chopped garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir into a loose paste. Cut the zested lemon and the second lemon into wedges.
~15 min
Drying the chicken skin promotes browning, while the garlic-lemon paste adds flavor and helps the skin crisp.
Patting the chicken skin dry before it goes on the tray is what lets it brown instead of steam; the garlic paste should sit on dry skin, not on a wet surface.
Zesting Zest only the colored part of the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith. Use a light touch and rotate the lemon as you zest.
-
Pull the tray from the oven. Nestle the chicken pieces among the potatoes and carrots, skin side up. Brush or spoon the garlic-lemon paste over the chicken and vegetables. Tuck the 2 remaining whole garlic cloves and half the lemon wedges around the tray.
~5 min
Nesting the chicken among the vegetables allows the juices to flavor them, and skin-side up exposes the skin to direct heat for crisping.
-
Return the tray to the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken skin is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 74°C/165°F. If the vegetables brown too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over them.
~40 min
Roasting at high heat caramelizes the chicken skin and cooks the meat through; the thermometer ensures safety without overcooking.
If the potatoes are still firm when the chicken is done, move the chicken to a plate, cover it, and return the tray of vegetables to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Roasting Roast at high heat for caramelization, but watch for burning; use foil to shield if needed. Ensure even browning by not overcrowding the tray.
-
Take the tray from the oven and squeeze the remaining lemon wedges over the chicken and vegetables. Let everything rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle, then serve straight from the tray.
~10 min
Resting the chicken allows juices to redistribute, so the meat stays moist when carved.