Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Green Beans
Bone-in chicken thighs roasted at high heat over fresh green beans — the rendered chicken fat seasons and bastes the green beans as everything cooks together. One pan, 40 minutes, completely hands-off. ~35g protein per serving.
Ingredients
Meat & Protein
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs patted completely dry
Produce
- 1 lb green beans trimmed
- 4 garlic cloves minced
Pantry & Canned Goods
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided — 1 tbsp for chicken, 1 tbsp for green beans
Seasonings & Spices
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp black pepper divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil.
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this is the step that determines whether the skin gets crispy. Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil and season all over with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Toss the trimmed green beans with 1 tbsp olive oil, the minced garlic, remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, and remaining ¼ tsp black pepper. Spread in an even layer across the sheet pan.
- Place the chicken thighs skin-side up directly on top of or alongside the green beans. The chicken goes skin-side up so the fat renders down onto the green beans below as it cooks.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, and the green beans are tender with slightly charred edges. Drizzle any pan juices over the green beans before serving.
Notes
Estimated protein per serving: ~35g from one bone-in chicken thigh, with green beans contributing an additional 2g.
Bone-in skin-on thighs are the right call for sheet pan dinners — the bone regulates cooking temperature and keeps the meat juicy, while the skin renders fat that bastes the green beans below. Boneless skinless thighs cook faster but don't produce the fat that makes the vegetables so good.
The chicken fat rendering onto the green beans is the whole point of this recipe. As the skin crisps, the fat drips down and coats every bean in seasoned chicken drippings. Green beans cooked separately and served alongside are completely different from green beans cooked in chicken fat for 40 minutes.
Pat the chicken completely dry. Any moisture on the skin creates steam in the oven instead of a crust. Paper towels, 30 seconds per thigh, done.
Leftovers keep for 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 12 minutes to get the skin crispy again. The microwave works but softens the skin.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!