Juicy and succulent, these easy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs are a family favorite! Baked together with low carb veggies, this keto dinner recipe comes together with minimal effort. So full of flavor!
I originally created Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies for my first cookbook, The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen. But this recipe is such a fabulous standout, a perfect one-pan keto meal, I just had to share it here on my website too.
It became a family favorite from the very first bite. The flavors meld so well and the vegetables soak up the delicious juices. Even my kids will willingly eat the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts because they taste so good!
This delectable keto chicken recipe is in regular rotation, along with French Onion Chicken and Easy Pizza Chicken.
Spectacular keto chicken recipe
It’s been almost 6 years since my cookbook came out, and I’ve honestly lost count how many times we’ve made these Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs since then. It’s such an easy recipe, I keep thighs on hand for it at all times.
I love keto sheet pan meals because they are typically quick and convenient. You cook the whole meal on the same pan, so there is less to prep and fewer dishes to wash.
But this sheet pan chicken is truly something special. The mouthwatering smells that emanate from the oven literally stop you in your tracks. It’s the combination of the roasting poultry, the cumin and coriander spice rub, and the hearty low carb veggies.
When cooking is complete, you have luscious, juicy chicken thighs and meltingly tender vegetables. It’s the kind of meal that makes you want to curl up somewhere cozy and savor all the scents and flavors.
This Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies is the ultimate keto comfort food. And it has only 5.3g net carbs per serving!
Five Star Reviews
“This is SOOOOOOO easy, quick AND delicious. My husband and kids love it just as much as I do and nobody misses any carbs!” –Lori
“Winner of a chicken dinner! Loved the mix of flavors. Will be making this one again. Thanks!” –Linda
“This recipe was absolutely delicious. My husband said it was some of the tastiest chicken he has ever eaten. Total winner for whole family. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!” — Liz
Ingredients you need
- Skin-on bone-in chicken thighs: You can do this with boneless, skinless thighs but the meal won’t be quite as filling. It will also cook through faster so you likely only need 20 to 25 minutes. I don’t recommend chicken breasts as they tend to dry out easily.
- Avocado or Olive Oil: I like to toss the veggies with oil, salt, and pepper right on the pan itself.
- Butter: I use melted butter for the spice mixture that I brush over the chicken. But you can use additional oil if you prefer to be dairy-free.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic provides the best flavor.
- Spices: The unbelievable flavor in these Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs comes from a mix of cumin, coriander, paprika, and a little cayenne.
- Low carb vegetables: I used cauliflower and Brussels sprouts for this recipe, but you can mix it up a bit. Try to choose hearty vegetables that won’t soften too much during cooking. Broccoli, turnips, or rutabaga are good choices, but zucchini will become mushy.
- Thick-cut bacon: Bacon adds a delicious smokiness to the vegetables. But feel free to skip if if you don’t eat pork.
Step-by-step directions
1. Season the vegetables: Spread the cauliflower, sprouts, and bacon out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well and spread out into a single layer on the pan.
2. Prepare the seasoning: In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne and additional salt and pepper.
3. Season the chicken: Nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables. Brush the tops of the thighs with the spice mixture.
4. Roast: Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 450ºF, until the center of the chicken thighs registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer. Turn on the broiler and set the pan on the second highest rack of the oven. Broil 1 to 3 minutes to brown the chicken.
Expert tips
Cooking everything at a high temperature helps crisp the chicken skin and caramelize the vegetables. If you are swapping out vegetables, be sure that they are approximately the same size and thickness. Veggies that cook faster should be added later in the roasting process or they will become too soft and mushy.
Be sure to use a large sheet pan so your food isn’t overcrowded and the veggies can spread out in a single layer. This ensures even cooking and allows the hot pan to brown the vegetables properly.
Don’t line your pan with foil or parchment, as it will keep the veggies from browning properly. The oil and juice from the chicken will be sufficient to keep things from sticking.
Store any leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It reheats well in the oven or the microwave and makes fabulous easy lunches! I’ve even eaten it for breakfast a few times.
Dairy-Free Option: Replace the butter in the spice rub with oil or ghee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bake the sheet pan chicken thighs at 450ºF to for crispy skin and caramelized vegetables. You know the chicken is done when the juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165ºF.
Bone-in, skin-on thighs take longer to bake than boneless skinless chicken. When baking at 450ºF, they will take 30 to 35 minutes to cook through properly.
This keto sheet pan chicken recipe has 8.8g of carbs and 3.5g of fiber per serving. That comes to 5.3g net carbs per serving.
More delicious sheet pan recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower cut into 1-inch florets
- ½ pound Brussels sprouts quartered
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Salt and pepper
- 6 medium chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 2 tablespoons butter or additional oil melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Spread the cauliflower, sprouts, and bacon out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well and spread out into a single layer on the pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne and additional salt and pepper.
- Nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables. Brush the tops of the thighs with the spice mixture.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the center of the chicken thighs registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
- Turn on the broiler and set the pan on the second highest rack of the oven. Broil 1 to 3 minutes to brown the chicken.
Nicole says
Absolutly delicious!! I changed the seasonings a bit to a more Italian flavor but this was amazing!!
Horst says
A real simple winner like so many of her ideas and dishes.
Kim says
Thank you. It was delicious!
Deborah says
I use beef bacon in place of pork=plenty of fat pork-free option.
Linda Peters says
You said don’t use chicken breast because they dry out, is there a way to cook this with chicken breast? We only eat chicken breasts.
Carolyn says
You’re welcome to experiment!
Tracy says
I just made this a couple of days ago with boneless, skinless chicken breast and it turned out wonderful and juicy! My son wanted to know what I did differently to make the chicken stay so juicy. I really don’t know, except I checked it with a thermometer after 30 minutes and it wasn’t quite ready, so cooked another 8-10 minutes and turned out perfect!
Lori Mathers says
This is SOOOOOOO easy, quick AND delicious. My husband and kids love it just as much as I do and nobody misses any carbs!
Nanner says
This recipe is delicious! I was in a hurry so I just used broccoli. Thank you so much!
Eleanor says
This recipe is so easy, not to mention delicious. We love it and have it often.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Nelly says
I made this for dinner last night. My daughter asked if she could have her 2 friends stay over for dinner and they loved it. The boy actually texted my daughter last night and asker her to tell me that I make good chicken. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Michele L says
I made it today for dinner and it is delicious. I did not add the cumin and the black pepper as it does not have a great effect on my stomach. It is absolutely delicious.
Diana says
Made this for lunch today and so happy to see how easy it is to put together and customize. Thank you for your creative and workable recipes that anyone can make whether on a special diet or not. This one is so delicious it will even be served for no fuss company meals.
Heather says
This was fast and delicious. A meal that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Joanne says
Cooked this tonight used broccoli and cauliflower and it was delicious. It is on the list of my favorite recipes. quick and easy to make and clean up.
Cherrie says
I made this for dinner last night, and it was so good. I didn’t have cauliflower so I used carrots and brussels sprouts (staying out of the grocery stores due to the cornonavirus). I could of ate just the veggies, they were that good. Thanks for another great recipe!
Bev says
Is the protein and fat same or a mistake? Just curious. I’ve never seen them both the same before. Can’t wait to try this tonight. Love all the rest of your recipes I’ve tried. So glad I found your website and Facebook Group. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes. Getting ready to start ordering your books.
Carolyn says
Oops, yes, the protein is 35g.
Dorothy says
Made this with bone in skin on chicken breast and it was great. I thought I took out the thighs but this was great anyway. Thank you for a quick and easy meal that tastes great!
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out!
Baker Judy says
This recipe looks delicious, but we don’t eat pork. I’m sad, because bacon seems to be such a strong flavor; leaving it out would probably change it a lot.
Or is there a spice I can use instead of the pork? Thank you very much. Love your recipes. I’m just about to make your pancakes for “fend for yourself Saturday night dinner.”
There’s so much cooking in keto, that a sheet pan makes it easy and we have leftovers.
Carolyn says
Nothing will replace the bacon in terms of flavor. But if you want to make it without, I recommend adding some other fats to the pan before cooking, like butter or coconut oil. It’s the added fat which helps soften and roast the veggies.
Connie says
You where right my house smelled amazing! Will make again, but next time I’ll cook the chicken half the time then add veggies,they where way to mushy for our liking, Keep the great recipes coming.
Tracey says
This looks terrific! Making it right now. But maybe I missed it–I don’t see anything other than calories in the nutrition listing. Did the software change that the page uses for calculating those?
Tracey says
**** I spotted the nutrition information finally–for some reason it did not load.
Byenia says
Made this last night and it turned out wonderfully. The only changes made were I used frozen veggies (broccoli, caulifower and brussels sprouts) and 4 chicken quarters, requiring about an hour or a little longer in at 450. Definitely planning on keeping this dish in our rotation of easy favorites. Thanks!