Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Veggies is the perfect way to get dinner on the table fast! Everything comes together in one sheet pan and is baked till the chicken is crispy and golden with a finger licking honey balsamic marinade.
Is there anything better than chicken and veggies all baked in one pan and full of flavors that'll keep you satisfied in any season and weather situation? This sheet pan honey balsamic chicken thighs is our solution to everything fast dinners. We really love balsamic vinegar and the tang and sweetness that it can add to a salad or appetizer or main.
Which is why the star of this super simple marinade is balsamic vinegar. Along with co stars - honey, olive oil, chilli powder, whole grain mustard, oregano, garlic and salt. The result is a delicious dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick and easy yet delicious and heartwarming.
Quick Walk Through: Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Veggies
This ๐ย is how things look before they go into the oven. We layer the veggies below so that the chicken thighs are slightly elevated. You can also bake both of them in different sheet pans if you have an even larger crowd to feed. But for two people, this much usually makes dinner and then lunch the next day. Sometimes, we'll combine it with cooked rice or quinoa but mostly its a ton of veggies and chicken for us.
How to make honey balsamic marinade
To make honey balsamic marinade, mix together good quality balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, olive oil and mustard. Add a bit of paprika or chilli powder if you want a spicy kick. Marinate the chicken for at least 15-20 minutes or up to an hour for the flavors to seep in so that every piece of chicken is moist and flavorful. Its important not to let the chicken marinate for more than hour because the acids in the vinegar helps break down the connective tissue in meat, and can make the meat tougher if marinated for too long.
Trick to getting rid of the juices in the sheet pan
A trick to getting rid of the juices if you absolutely prefer it that way is to remove the chicken once its cooked and place the sheet pan with veggies back into the oven on the top rack. Turn the broiler or the top element on and let the veggies broil for 3-4 minutes. This will get them nice and crispy and evaporate all the juices in the sheet pan.
Richa's Top Tips To Make The Best Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- I absolutely insist that you use whole grain mustard versus dijon mustard for this marinade because the grains in the mustard make a beautiful crust on the chicken and result in a mind blowing crispiness.
- The only disadvantage of baking chicken and veggies together like I do in this recipe is that there can be a little liquid at the bottom of the pan from all the chicken juices and veggies. But honestly, we don't mind because we scoop up the juices and just drizzle it again on top of the chicken.
- I absolutely recommend bone-in, skin on chicken thighs when you try this sheet pan honey balsamic chicken thighs because the chicken stays moist and the skin becomes crispy and has a gorgeous glaze on it from the marinade.
- Here's the sheet pan that I use and love. It's by KitchenAid and their baking sheet is naturally non stick and very durable so you don't need to line it with anything.
This is one of my favorite sheet pan dishes because of hands-off the process is. Once you chop everything and stick it in the oven, your job is pretty much done. Oh and this dish is also super customisable. I add whatever veggies I have in the fridge and it always turns out delicious.
Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Veggies Recipe Video (Step by Step)
Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Veggies
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Honey Balsamic Chicken:
- ยฝ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ยผ cup Honey
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Chilli Powder or smoked Paprika
- ยผ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons whole grain Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Oregano
- Salt to taste
- 6 Chicken Thighs bone-in and skin-on
Sheet Pan Vegetables
- 6-7 cups Cut Vegetables I used beans, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli
- 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder / fresh garlic
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 220C/425F.
- Mix together all the ingredients under honey balsamic chicken and toss the chicken thighs well. Set aside while you prep the veggies.
- Add all the veggies to a bowl and toss them in garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them out on the pan.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the veggies and bake for 30-35 minutes or till the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165F.
Video
Notes
- Chicken Thighs vs. Breasts: I highly recommend using chicken thighs but if you are using chicken breasts, you will need to adjust the timings. Chicken breast cooks much faster than thighs and should be cooked in 18-20 minutes.
- Knowing when the chicken is cooked:ย The internal temperature of cooked chicken should read 165F/73C. The most handy way to tell would be using a meat thermometer. If you do not own one, you can cut and check the juices. If the meat is white in colour and the juices run clear that means the chicken is cooked. The meat or the juices should not have a red/pinkish hue.ย ย
- Getting rid of juices Tip 1: A trick to getting rid of the juices if you absolutely prefer it that way is to remove the chicken once its cooked and place the sheet pan with veggies back into the oven on the top rack. Turn the broiler or the top element on and let the veggies broil for 3-4 minutes. This will get them nice and crispy and evaporate all the juices in the sheet pan.
- Getting rid of juices Tip 2:ย Another way to get rid of the juices is to sear the thighs on both sides in a pan first before placing them in the oven. This can help lock in the juices so that you have less liquid when it comes out of the oven.
Chris says
Can I use frozen vegetables? If so what combination do you recommend?
Thank you.
Richa says
Frozen veggies would cook way faster, so I recommend adding them halfway through the baking process.
Denise says
This was delicious and will now be a regular part of my rotation. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Richa says
So glad you liked it Denise!
Carol Polakowski says
i loved the chicken, but not the veggies. The marinade for the chicken was fantastic and i would use that again. I used skinless/boneless thighs and tenders (cooked them 10 mins less) and both were very tender/juicy. I just didn't like how soggy the veggies were. So i would just roast veggies separately on on another pan if i made this again. Hubby said I could make this 1 x year. (he's not a big fan of chicken! lol)
Richa says
Hey Carol, the veggies do get soggy. But I've seen that broiling this for a few minutes in the end takes care of most of the liquid. Otherwise you can also roast the veggies separately like you said.
gebah says
The first time I made this I used "baby" carrots and mushrooms. I had a feeling the carrots wouldn't be done but was shocked they were still basically raw. We loved the flavor so I tried it again tonight with the carrots sliced (the long way) in half. Still a no go. Better but still very undercooked. Will chop them up next time as the flavor was good and I think they added to the overall recipe but broccoli may be a better option.
Richa says
Hey there! We like our carrots still crunchy and that's what this recipe does. Whole baby carrots wouldn't cook all the way through like you mentioned. So either chopping them up or using broccoli instead would work best! So glad you liked the recipe
Mona says
I just have a question about the garlic. It says 2 tablespoons of garlic powder or fresh garlic. I don't think of the amounts being interchangeable. Do you really use 2 tablespoons of garlic powder in this recipe? It just seems like a lot.
Richa says
Yes, we love the flavour of garlic, but you can reduce it if you like.
Laura says
This is awesome. Ridiculously easy yet impressive looking and tasting.
Richa says
Thanks Laura!! Glad you liked it
Tracy Bare says
I have made this twice now. Once with boneless skinless thighs and the other time with bone in skin on thighs. I actually preferred the boneless/skinless thighs. The marinade soaked into the meat more and gave it a great flavor, especially for meal prepping and reheating a few days later. (The skin on doesnโt stay crispy). For the veggies I used broccoli, carrots, Brussel sprouts and fresh green beans. They turned out awesome!! I absolutely love this recipe and the great taste!! One of my new favorites!!
Richa says
Thanks for your feedback Tracy!
Dev Amos says
OMG! I'm not a chicken fan, but this will be my go to dish! Best flavors and textures,
OMG! I cannot express myself! Super meal!!!! Thank you so much!
Richa says
Thaaanks Dev!
Heather says
10/10! My husband &I basically ate it right off the pan, so we could drag the roasted broccoli through the caramelized bits around the edges. I didnโt mind the extra juices; there wasnโt much left that wasnโt soaked up by the chicken and veggies. Hands down, best recipe Iโve tried in years!
Richa says
Thaaank you Heather! So glad you liked it
Ashley says
My family enjoyed this recipe. It was served as a quick lunch with a fair amount of leftovers. Thank you for sharing.
Richa says
So glad you liked it Ashley!
Melody says
can you use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead
Richa says
Absolutely! Those will work really well too. You don't need to change the cooking time.
Rachel says
This recipe was so good and feels super healthy. Yum!
Richa says
Thanks so much Rachel! So glad you liked it. Thanks for leaving your feedback here.
Lisa Kruse says
One question, it didn't say in the recipe to cover it. What is the rule of thumb above covering versus not covering a meal in the oven? Thanks!
Richa says
Hey Lisa - it really depends on the meat you are using in my opinion. Chicken thighs are juicier and don't tend to dry out easily which is why I don't feel the need to cover them, but if I was cooking chicken breasts in the oven, I would cover them for most part of the cooking time to avoid them from drying out.
Lisa Kruse says
I made the balsamic chicken and veggies last week and I'm making a double batch today. I love this recipe! For more sauce, I doubled the liquid balsamic part of the recipe. This is a winner with me!
Richa says
So glad you liked it! This balsamic chicken is one of our favourite dinners to. Thanks for leaving a comment here Lisa.
Merrideth says
I love almost all recipes that use "sheet pan" or "slow cooker." I can't wait to try this! I didn't know that chicken breasts take longer than chicken thighs! Is the same true for boneless, skinless chicken thighs? Also, I love tip number one for getting rid of extra juices, although I don't mind the extra juices. I do, however, love crispier veggies! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Richa says
Did you mean chicken thighs take longer to cook than chicken breasts? Yes they do but thats because they are juicier and have more fat in them. Glad you found the tip to reduce the juice in these balsamic chicken thighs helpful and I hope you try this!