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Why It Works
When I was a kid, one of the meals I requested most from my parents was roast chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans on the side—a meal I called “farm dinner.” I’m not exactly sure where I came up with the idea that farmers were eating mashed potatoes year-round while I was forced to wait for Thanksgiving, but the name stuck, and every so often, my mom would oblige. It was essentially a mini holiday meal and was a lot of work for a busy weeknight: We peeled, boiled, and mashed the potatoes; seasoned and roasted a whole chicken; and sautéed green beans with garlic and butter. Now that I’m older and a busy working adult, I can see why my mom was so reluctant to make it.
To this day, roast chicken and mashed potatoes is one of go-to comfort meals—but I wanted to simplify the process so that farm dinner would feel more manageable for a weeknight. So I developed this recipe that lets you cook herby chicken legs, Parmesan-crusted green beans, and garlicky mashed potatoes using a single sheet pan. Roasting a whole chicken isn’t difficult, but I speed things up by using chicken drumsticks. Instead of sautéing green beans, I simply roast the beans alongside the chicken. The potatoes are also cooked along with the chicken and green beans, and then mashed before serving. The meal comes together in 45 minutes and is just as delicious, if not more so, than the farm dinner I ate growing up. This is the recipe I wish I could have given my mother 20 years ago to make her life a little easier. Sorry, Mom!
Here’s how to make it.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
Elevate Your Chicken With Herby Garlic Butter
To give the chicken legs a savory, herbaceous flavor, I make a quick compound butter by stirring together butter, fresh thyme, and minced garlic, then slather it over the surface of the chicken skin. Fat conducts heat well, and helps the skin brown and crisp evenly. Be sure to pat the chicken dry before applying the butter—otherwise, it won’t adhere properly. Once the chicken legs are covered in butter, hit them with a healthy dose of salt and pepper, then arrange them evenly on one half of a rimmed sheet pan.
Skip the Boiling—Steam Your Potatoes in a Foil Packet Instead
While boiling potatoes isn’t that much work, cooking them on the same pan as the chicken saves you time, dishes, and effort. The trick is to place peeled, cubed potatoes in a sealed foil packet, then set it on the sheet pan alongside the chicken, garlic, and green beans. The potatoes steam inside the foil as the other ingredients roast. Once the potatoes are tender, carefully open the foil packet and tip the spuds into a mixing bowl. Mash them with plenty of butter, any rendered chicken fat from the pan, the roasted garlic, and a splash of half-and-half. The result is gloriously creamy and deeply savory mashed potatoes—zero boiling required.
Roasted Green Beans Are Even Better With Cheese
Roasting the green beans instead of sautéing them makes this a true one-pan meal. However, to prevent the green beans from overcooking or burning, it’s best to give the chicken and potatoes a 20-minute head start. Once you add the green beans, push the chicken to the outer edges of the pan to make space, drizzle the beans generously with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan, then return the pan to the oven.
Adding Parmesan is a trick my dad taught me: The cheese melts into a golden, crispy crust and gives the green beans a rich umami note. Like the other elements of the meal, it’s a low-effort way to deliver impressively tasty results.
I like to top the mashed potatoes with a pat of butter and arrange the chicken legs and green beans on a serving platter. Just like the farm dinners of my childhood, this meal feels extra special while still being comforting and homey. And no one needs to know it came together in just about an hour—unless you feel like bragging.
Crispy Chicken and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, All on One Sheet Pan
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 ounce; 28 g), plus more for serving
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2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
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5 medium cloves garlic (2 peeled and minced; 3 unpeeled)
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1 1/2 pounds (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
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Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
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1 1/2 pounds (680 g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
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10 ounces (283 g) green beans, ends trimmed
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1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 ounce; 15 g)
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1/3 cup (80 ml) half-and-half, plus more as needed
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
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In a small bowl, combine butter, thyme, and minced garlic. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and arrange on 1 half of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Divide garlic-butter mixture among chicken pieces, taking care to spread it evenly. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper and arrange whole garlic cloves around chicken.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Arrange 1 large sheet (about 9-by-13-inches) of aluminum foil on a work surface. Place potatoes in center of foil, then roll edges together to create a sealed packet. Place packet on other half of rimmed baking sheet with chicken and garlic. Bake until the chicken is beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Using oven mitts or a kitchen towel, carefully remove pan from oven and, using tongs, push chicken to outer edges of the pan. Arrange green beans in empty space, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt. Top green beans with an even layer of grated cheese. Return pan to oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece of chicken registers about 180°F (82°C) and potatoes are very tender, 20 to 25 more minutes. (To check doneness of potatoes, carefully poke through the foil with a knife; potatoes should be tender and yield easily.)
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Remove pan from oven. Transfer chicken and green beans to a large serving platter and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
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In a microwave-safe container, heat half-and-half until steaming hot, about 30 seconds. Carefully open foil packet and transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Carefully peel roasted garlic. Add roasted garlic, half-and-half, and 2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat from sheet pan to potatoes.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until relatively smooth. If potatoes seem dry, add half-and-half, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Top mashed potatoes with pats of butter, if desired, and serve immediately alongside chicken and green beans.
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle
Special Equipment
Rimmed 13-by-18-inch baking sheet, aluminum foil, mixing bowl, potato masher
Notes
Whole milk or heavy cream can be used in place of half-and-half.
If you don’t have enough rendered chicken fat for the mashed potatoes, you can use butter.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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