The One-Pan Chicken Dinner You Need To Make

A whole head of garlic roasts to creamy, golden perfection right alongside chicken pieces and baby potatoes in this one-pan chicken dinner recipe. Ranch seasoning, lemon, and parsley brighten everything up for an easy meal the whole family will love.

Overhead view of a baking sheet of roast chicken thighs and potatoes — Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

When my mom didn’t feel like making lunch or dinner, she “treated us” to a meal at her favorite local cafeteria. She’d order us each a plate with a fried chicken leg, some mashed potatoes, and green beans. Sometimes we’d get a cloverleaf roll on the side and always a little bowl of chocolate pudding for dessert.

There wasn’t anything super special about the food, but it was always comforting and satisfying. That’s the goal for every meal I make, especially when the temperature drops. One meal that delivers comfort and satisfaction while also being super delicious is my one-pan garlic chicken and potatoes.

Just like the cafeteria dish from my childhood, this recipe starts with chicken. I like to use bone-in, skin-on drumsticks and thighs. Keeping the bone and skin ensures the chicken remains juicy as it cooks. Using dark meat instead of white brings more flavor to the party and a bit of fat for tenderness.

I employ the contents of a ranch seasoning mix packet to keep things easy and use it to marinate both the chicken and potatoes. I often use baby Yukon gold potatoes because there’s minimal prep—just a simple wash and pat dry, and they’re ready to go. I also add one whole head of garlic to the pan, drizzling it with a bit of oil and then squeezing out the golden, buttery cloves to spread over everything when serving.

Besides being delicious and simple to prepare, it’s a meal that the whole family can enjoy. Everyone gets to choose their favorite cut of chicken, scoop up as many potatoes as they want, and then have fun spreading the garlic over it all.

To keep the meal low-maintenance, I often roast broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or other hearty vegetables on a baking sheet on the top rack of the oven while the chicken cooks. A big salad is a great side for this dish, as is crusty bread!

Tips for Making One-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Swap the seasoning. You’ll need 2 to 3 tablespoons of seasoning “mix” for the amount of chicken and potatoes listed here. Try Greek or Italian seasoning blends instead of the ranch, but if possible, choose a mix with no added salt or that’s low-sodium so you can control the amount of salt in your dish.
Play with the potatoes. The small size of baby potatoes is nice, but if you can’t find them, regular Yukon gold, red, or fingerling potatoes will also work. Just cut them into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces before roasting.
Add more garlic. For even more garlic flavor, add another head or two of garlic to the sheet pan. Any leftovers can be wrapped up and refrigerated and used within 2 days.

Overhead view of a plate of a roasted chicken thigh, potatoes and lemon slices — Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

For Garlic Lovers

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Add a large rimmed baking sheet to the oven on the middle rack to warm up as the oven preheats.

Prepare the garlic, chicken, and potatoes:

Remove any loose outer papery leaves from the garlic and slice 1/4 to 1/2-inch off the top of the cloves. Place the garlic in the center of a piece of foil large enough to cover the entire head once wrapped. Drizzle the cut side with 1 tablespoon of oil, then pull up the sides of the foil to close. Place on the baking sheet in the preheating oven.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of the oil and the ranch seasoning to a large bowl and stir to combine. Pat the chicken dry, then add it to the bowl with the potatoes and toss to coat.

Roast:

Carefully remove the preheated pan from the oven and place the chicken, skin-side down, on the baking sheet, surrounding it with a single layer of potatoes. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes.

Flip the chicken and stir the potatoes, then return the pan to the oven and bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F and the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 more minutes.

Serve:

Remove the garlic from the pan and carefully unwrap. Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken and potatoes and garnish with the parsley. Serve with the roasted garlic, squeezing the roasted cloves out of their skins and scattering them over the chicken and potatoes.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.

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