Sheet pan lemon chicken is easy to make, and tastes AMAZING! This lemon chicken is filled with bright lemon flavor. It’s baked on one sheet pan for easy cleanup and takes just 45 minutes to the oven.
Table of Content
Do you know what's better than restaurant takeout? A quick easy, healthy, and delicious sheet pan dinner. In fact, sometimes it's quicker. If you calculate the time it takes you to decide, order, and then wait for delivery. This lemon chicken gets done in just 45 minutes and it's got meat and veggies, which means you don't need to make anything else. Told you it was better than any takeout, didn't I?
Why make this chicken dinner
- Dinner on a sheet pan is an easy way to cook delicious food for a weeknight. This sheet pan lemon chicken recipe packs a punch of flavor, and won’t make a mess of your kitchen.
- It's simple! You need very few ingredients and only one pan - the sheet pan!
- Use any chicken you have on hand, legs, thighs, breast or a whole chicken cut into pieces.
- And most of the ingredients are simple and easy to find or simple pantry staples.
- I serve a nice crusty bread with the pan juices. But you can also use the pan juices and cook with a little flour and stock or white wine to make a nice sauce to serve with the chicken.
- Also, leftovers keep well in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. And, the chicken makes a great addition to sandwiches and wraps such as chicken fajitas.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken - I love to use bone-in thighs and legs for such roast recipes. In this case, I have used skin on (fat trimmed), so the chicken stays nice and moist. You can also use chicken breast, but make sure to reduce baking time as chicken breast cooks and dries out very easily. I'm using skin-on chicken and while the skin protects the chicken from becoming dry it also gets a nice golden brown color which looks very appetizing.
- Lemon - I've used fresh lemon juice and lemon slices. Yes, the chicken does have a lemony flavor but you can reduce the lemon juice as well. I love roasting lemon slices with skin on. So, often I will double the lemon slices. And if you have not tried it yet, you absolutely must try charged roasted lemon slices. You can also add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to enhance the flavor of the lemon.
- Herbs - I'm using fresh rosemary and thyme, but you can also use ½ teaspoon each of dried herbs. I garnished it with chopped parsley but cilantro works too.
- Garlic - Today, I've used both grated garlic and a whole garlic bulb that's been roasted with the chicken. The roasted garlic tastes great with nice crusty bread.
- Veggies - Today, I am using potato, sweet potato, and red Spanish onions. But, you can also use cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, and green beans.
- Optional ingredients:
- Paprika or cayenne - If you love spicy chicken, you can sprinkle a little paprika or cayenne in the marinade.
- Parmesan cheese - At the final 5 minutes of roasting, you can sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over the potatoes which melt over the roasted potatoes making the top a bit more crispy.
- Sauce - You can also use the pan juices and cook it with 1 tablespoon of little flour and ½ stock or ¼ white wine. Then, simmer over medium heat until thick to make a nice sauce to serve with the chicken.
Sheet pan lemon chicken recipe
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C/ Gas Mark 6
- Marinade – In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Sheet pan – In a 15 x 10 sheet pan arrange the chicken pieces on one side, followed by the potato, and sweet potato on the other side (as shown in the video).
Pro tip - You can line the sheet pan with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Or, spray the pan with oil to prevent sticking. - Marinate - Season everything with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, coat the chicken pieces and veggies generously with the lemon marinade. Then, turn the chicken and brush the other side too.
Pro tip - We cook the chicken now but you can also marinate this chicken in a bowl in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours. - Herbs - Sprinkle the chili flakes over the chicken. Place the onion rings and lemon slices over the chicken. Tuck the sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the sheet pan.
Pro tip - Brush the rosemary and thyme with a little oil to prevent them from burning.
- Bake – Roast in the oven on the middle rack for about 35 to 40 minutes turning the chicken and potatoes once in between.
Pro tip - Turning the potatoes will make them a little crisper on all sides. The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. - Rest – Let the chicken rest for a few minutes. You can serve them directly on the sheet pan or transfer them to a serving platter.
Variations
- Veggies - You don't have to use potatoes and sweet potatoes. In fact, use whatever veggies you have on hand. I often use this recipe to use leftover vegetables at the end of the weekend.
- Marinade - Of course, this one has a strong lemon flavor. But you can reduce the lemon to just about 1 tablespoon.
- Lemon butter chicken - Add ¼ cup melted butter instead of oil to the marinade and brush just as we did in the recipe here.
- Lemon sriracha chicken - Add up to a tablespoon of sriracha in the marinade before you brush over the chicken. The color of the roasted chicken will be a deeper red.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Always use the right size pan for cooking. Too small and the meat will stew rather than roast giving you mussy veggies. Too large may give uneven cooking.
- And line the pan with parchment for easy clean-up. Having said that, baking directly on the pan can give you crisp edges which some of us enjoy.
- Layer moist meats or veggies on top of dry ones so the top will keep the bottom from going dry.
- Also, use veggies with similar cooking times, or give the veggies that need longer cooking a head start by parboiling.
- Keep the veggies moist by brushing with marinade, basting with pan juices, or spraying them with oil so they won't dry out.
- And use the right cooking time for the right cuts of meat. Chicken breast or chicken cutlets usually cooks quicker than chicken thigh or red meats.
Can you see how crispy those potatoes are? And look above how wonderfully golden brown the chicken skin is?
More chicken recipes
- Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs, or Baked Chicken Legs
- Honey Mustard Chicken, or Baked Honey Soy Chicken
- Chicken Cordon Bleu, or Balsamic Chicken
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks, or Baked Chicken Thighs
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Chicken Schnitzel
- Creamy Paprika Skillet Chicken
- Chicken with mushroom sauce
- See all chicken recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this chicken keep?
This sheet pan chicken can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure to cover it well to prevent it from drying in the fridge. It can also be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I don't have a sheet pan. What can I use instead of a sheet pan?
If you don't have a sheet pan, you can also use a cast-iron large skillet or frying pan. Cast Iron is capable of getting very hot, which encourages roasting and cooking evenly. However, do not leave meat and veggies marinated with lemon in cast-iron for long. They must be cooked immediately, otherwise the lemon reacts with the metal giving the food a weird taste.
What do you serve this lemon chicken with?
I love lemon chicken juices with a nice crusty bread such as my rustic whole wheat raisin bread or my no-knead beer bread. My kids love this over my fragrant fruit and nut rice or vegetable pilafs.
Personally, I love to have cauliflower rice as a low-carb option.
Can I use a baking dish for sheet pan recipes?
The purpose of cooking in a sheet pan is to encourage roasting where the juices are released and instantly evaporate so the meat does not stew in their juices. While you can certainly use a ceramic baking dish, take note that you will have extra pan juices and less browning of the meat. It will still be a beautifully baked chicken and veggie dish.
What other veggies can I use with this chicken?
I have used potatoes but try other veggies such as turnip, carrots, parsnip, cauliflower, or even broccoli florets. It is best to use veggies that do not give too much liquid such as bell peppers, and green beans. Otherwise, the chicken will stew in those juices rather than roast.
Printable Recipe
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 587kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 6 servings
Description
Sheet pan lemon chicken is easy to make, and tastes AMAZING! This lemon chicken is filled with bright lemon flavor. It’s baked on one sheet pan for easy cleanup and takes just 45 minutes to the oven.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (8 pieces) Chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on, thighs and legs)
- 1 large Onions (sliced into rounds slices and separated)
- 1 large Lemons ( sliced into thick round slices)
- 1 large Garlic bulb (skin-on)
- 2 Sprigs Rosemary (fresh or ½ teaspoon dried, add to marinade)
- 4 Sprigs Thyme (fresh or ½ teaspoon dried, add to marinade )
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
Lemon Marinade
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Lemon juice
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Olive oil
- 2 large Garlic cloves (grated)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C/ Gas Mark 6
- Marinade – In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Sheet pan – In a 15 x 10 sheet pan arrange the chicken pieces on one side, followed by the potato, and sweet potato on the other side (as shown in the video). Pro tip - You can line the sheet pan with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Or, spray the pan with oil to prevent sticking.
- Marinate - Season everything with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, coat the chicken pieces and veggies generously with the lemon marinade. Then, turn the chicken and brush the other side too.Pro tip - We cook the chicken now but you can also marinate this chicken in a bowl in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
- Herbs - Sprinkle the chili flakes over the chicken. Place the onion rings and lemon slices over the chicken. Tuck the sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the sheet pan. Pro tip - Brush the rosemary and thyme with a little oil to prevent them from burning.
- Bake – Roast in the oven on the middle rack for about 35 to 40 minutes turning the chicken and potatoes once in between. Pro tip - Turning the potatoes will make them a little crisper on all sides. The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Rest – Let the chicken rest for a few minutes. You can serve them directly on the sheet pan or transfer them to a serving platter.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always use the right size pan for cooking. Too small and the meat will stew rather than roast giving you mussy veggies. Too large may give uneven cooking.
- Line the pan with parchment for easy clean-up. Having said that, baking directly on the pan can give you crisp edges which some of us enjoy.
- Layer moist meats or veggies on top of dry ones so the top will keep the bottom from going dry.
- Use veggies with similar cooking times, or give the veggies that need longer cooking a head start by parboiling.
- Keep the veggies moist by brushing with marinade, basting with pan juices, or spraying them with oil so they won't dry out.
- Use the right cooking time for the right cuts of meat. Chicken breast usually cooks quicker than chicken thigh or red meats.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 587- kcalCarbohydrates: 18- gProtein: 48- gFat: 37- gSaturated Fat: 10- gCholesterol: 173- mgSodium: 596- mgPotassium: 989- mgFiber: 4- gSugar: 6- gVitamin A: 503- IUVitamin C: 44- mgCalcium: 73- mgIron: 3- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Andrew Epstein
this looks like a good recipe, but the recipe refuses to print not mention that in the section where you can print out the recipe, it's missing any amounts or instructions about the vegetables. Very annoying
Veena Azmanov
I'm sorry to hear you are having printing issues, Andrew. But, I just checked and it printed a full recipe for me with ingredients, instructions, and notes. Is there a particular browser that you are using? Perhaps if you give me more details I might be able to get the tech guys to look into it. Thanks