ONE PAN • CHICKEN THIGHS • ROASTED VEGETABLES

Cajun Sheet-Pan Chicken and Vegetables

Start bone-in chicken thighs and potatoes together at 425°F, then add quicker-cooking peppers and zucchini partway through. The chicken is ready when the thickest thigh reaches 165°F and the potatoes are tender.

By Acadian KitchensPublished
Cajun chicken thighs with roasted potatoes, peppers and zucchini on a sheet pan
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
45 minutes
Total
65 minutes
Yield
6 servings

Make the recipe

Ingredients

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2½ pounds
  • 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Ragin' Cajun y'ALL Purpose Seasoning, divided
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
  • Lemon wedges and chopped parsley, for serving, optional

Method

Roast in two stages

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken dry. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon seasoning on a large rimmed sheet pan.
  2. Rub the chicken with the remaining oil and 1½ teaspoons seasoning. Arrange skin-side up among the potatoes, leaving space between pieces. Roast for 20 minutes.
  3. Add the peppers, onion and zucchini in a single layer around the chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle them with the remaining ½ teaspoon seasoning and turn them once to coat lightly in the oil and juices on the pan. Return the pan to the oven.
  4. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes more, until the thickest thigh reaches 165°F and the potatoes are tender. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Food-safety note Cook chicken thighs to 165°F in the thickest part without touching bone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the air temperature is above 90°F. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F.

Stagger the pan so everything finishes together

One pan does not mean one start time. Build the dinner in 2 stages so the potatoes can soften, the chicken skin can brown and the tender vegetables can keep their shape.

  1. Start the potatoes and chicken: roast them together for 20 minutes at 425°F.
  2. Add the quick-cooking vegetables: spread the peppers, onion and zucchini around the food already on the pan and turn them once in the seasoned pan juices.
  3. Finish by temperature: keep roasting until the thickest thigh reaches 165°F and the potatoes are tender.

The measured tablespoon of Ragin' Cajun y'ALL Purpose Seasoning is divided across the potatoes, chicken and late vegetables, so every portion is accounted for.

Swap vegetables by cooking speed

Dense vegetables such as carrots or sweet potatoes need an earlier start. Tender vegetables such as summer squash or asparagus belong in the second stage. Cut every substitution to a similar size and keep the pan in a single layer so it roasts instead of steaming.

The timing here is written for peppers, onion and zucchini. For a focused potato side, use the dedicated Cajun roasted potatoes recipe. Visit the Cajun seasoning guide for more dinner ideas, or try blackened chicken when you want a stovetop method.

Common questions

Can I use boneless chicken thighs?

This recipe is written for bone-in thighs. Boneless thighs cook faster, so begin checking early and remove them when the thickest piece reaches 165°F.

What size sheet pan should I use?

Use a large rimmed sheet pan that holds the chicken and vegetables in one uncrowded layer. If the food overlaps, divide it between 2 pans and rotate them during roasting.

Can I prep the vegetables ahead?

Yes. Cut the vegetables up to one day ahead, keep them covered and refrigerated, and wait to season them until they go onto the pan.

Keep cooking

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