Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Green Beans and Potatoes -

Name: Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Green Beans and Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 5 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds); 1 pound small red potatoes, halved; 1 pound fresh green beans; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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I love a dinner where you can throw everything onto one pan and leave the oven to get on with it. This sheet pan chicken thighs recipe is exactly that, with juicy chicken, little red potatoes and green beans all cooking together.

The lemon, garlic and herbs give everything loads of flavor without needing a huge list of ingredients. As it all cooks, the potatoes soak up some of those lovely juices from the chicken too, which makes them so good.

It’s a really easy one for those nights when you want a proper home-cooked dinner but don’t want to spend ages in the kitchen. And with the chicken, potatoes and veggies all on the same pan, there’s not much washing up afterwards either.

Make sure you check out my other sheet pan recipes too:

Why We Love This Recipe

It’s all cooked on one pan. I’m always a fan of anything that means less washing up, and having the chicken, potatoes, and green beans all cooking together makes this such an easy dinner.
There’s hardly any prep. Once you’ve chopped the potatoes and mixed up the lemon herb dressing, there really isn’t much else to do. The oven does most of the work for you.
It’s a proper family dinner. You’ve got the chicken, potatoes, and veggies all in there, so you don’t really need to think about making anything else to go with it.
The chicken stays lovely and juicy. Using bone-in chicken thighs gives you really tender chicken, while the skin gets nice and golden in the oven.
The flavors are really simple. Lemon, garlic, and herbs give everything plenty of flavor without needing loads of ingredients or anything difficult to find.

Ingredients

Bone-in chicken thighs: I like using bone-in thighs for this because they stay lovely and juicy while they cook and you get that golden skin on top.
Small red potatoes: These work really well because you can simply halve them and they’ll cook through alongside the chicken.
Fresh green beans: Fresh are definitely my choice here as they hold their texture nicely in the oven rather than going too soft.
Olive oil: This forms the base of the lemon herb mixture and helps everything get nicely coated before it goes into the oven.
Fresh lemon juice: This adds a little freshness and works really well with the garlic and herbs.
Garlic: Two cloves gives everything plenty of garlicky flavor without it taking over the whole dish.
Kosher salt: There’s quite a lot going onto one pan, so don’t be tempted to skip the seasoning here.
Dried basil: A little dried basil adds extra flavor and means there’s no need to buy fresh herbs just for this recipe.
Dried oregano: This goes really nicely with the lemon and garlic and adds to that simple herby flavor.
Dried thyme: Another easy pantry herb that works really well with both the chicken and potatoes.
Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper finishes off the seasoning and adds a little extra flavor without making the dish spicy.

Recipe Instructions

Full measurements and cooking times can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease or line a large sheet pan if needed.

Step 2: Arrange the chicken thighs, potatoes, and green beans on the prepared sheet pan in an even layer.

Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, basil, oregano, thyme, and black pepper until well combined.

Step 4: Drizzle the lemon herb mixture over the chicken and vegetables, then toss the potatoes and green beans gently to coat. Leave the chicken skin-side up.

Step 5: Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, the potatoes are fork tender, and the green beans are just tender with a slight bite.

Step 6: Serve straight from the oven and enjoy.

What to Serve with Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Beans & Potatoes

This is already pretty much a complete dinner on its own, so you definitely don’t need to add loads of sides. If you do want something extra though, there are a few really easy things that work well with it.

Crusty bread: Perfect for mopping up any of those lemony, herby juices left on the plate.
Simple side salad: If you want to add a little more veg, a basic green salad with a light dressing is plenty.
Roasted vegetables: You could add some extra roasted veggies on the side, especially if you’ve got something in the fridge that needs using up.
Corn on the cob: This is an easy one if you’re feeding the whole family and want to stretch the meal a little further.
Extra green beans: If your family loves their veggies, there’s nothing wrong with cooking a few extra beans to serve alongside.

Storing

If you have any leftovers, let everything cool down first and then pop the chicken, potatoes and green beans into an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3–4 days, so this is a handy one to save for lunch or another easy dinner.

When you’re ready to eat them, you can reheat everything in the oven or air fryer until piping hot. The microwave works too if you’re in a hurry, although the chicken skin won’t stay quite as crispy that way.

Variations & Substitutions

This is a really easy recipe to change around depending on what you’ve already got in the fridge. I’d keep the basic cooking method the same, but there are a few simple swaps you can make.

Swap the potatoes: Baby potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes would all work well. Just make sure any larger ones are cut into small enough pieces so they cook through in time.
Try different veggies: Broccoli, asparagus or Brussels sprouts are all good options, although you may need to add quicker-cooking vegetables partway through so they don’t get too soft.
Use boneless chicken thighs: You can use boneless thighs, but they’ll cook quite a bit quicker, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and make sure your potatoes have enough time to cook through.
Change up the herbs: If you don’t have all three dried herbs, don’t worry too much. An Italian seasoning blend is an easy swap and saves measuring out each one separately.
Add a little heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes in the lemon herb mixture is an easy way to give the whole thing a bit of a kick.
Add more lemon: If you like things really lemony, serve it with a few fresh lemon wedges so everyone can squeeze a little extra over their plate.

FAQs

Can you cook chicken thighs and vegetables on the same pan?

Yes, you can cook chicken thighs and vegetables together on the same sheet pan. The main thing is choosing vegetables that can handle the cooking time. Small potatoes work really well here, and the green beans become nice and tender as everything roasts.

What temperature should chicken thighs be cooked to?

Chicken thighs should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F when checked in the thickest part with a meat thermometer. Make sure the thermometer isn't touching the bone when you check.

Can I use boneless chicken thighs for this sheet pan recipe?

Yes, although boneless chicken thighs will cook faster than bone-in thighs. You'll need to reduce the cooking time, and you may want to give the potatoes a head start in the oven so they're completely cooked through by the time the chicken is ready.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?

You can, but chicken breasts can dry out more easily and will probably need a shorter cooking time. Again, I'd start the potatoes off first and then add the chicken so you don't end up with undercooked potatoes or overcooked chicken.

Can I use frozen green beans?

Fresh green beans work better for this recipe as frozen ones can release quite a bit of water as they cook. If frozen is all you have though, you can use them, but the finished texture will be a little softer.

Do I need to peel the potatoes?

No, there's no need to peel small red potatoes. Just give them a good wash, halve them and they're ready to go onto the sheet pan.

How do I get crispy skin on chicken thighs?

Keep the chicken thighs skin-side up while they cook and try not to pour too much of the lemon herb mixture directly over the skin. Giving everything plenty of room on the pan rather than crowding it together will help too.

Can I make sheet pan chicken thighs ahead of time?

You can get most of the prep done earlier in the day. Chop the potatoes, trim the green beans and mix the lemon herb dressing, then keep everything covered in the fridge until you're ready to cook. I'd wait until just before cooking to assemble and season everything.

Yield: 5