4 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. sugar

⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; plus more for drizzling

1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground pepper

1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2″ pieces

1 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. smoked paprika

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more for drizzling

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 lb. mixed tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

6 oz. feta, thinly sliced

Parsley leaves with tender stems, pitas, and lemon wedges (for serving)

Eight 10″-long bamboo skewers, soaked 30 minutes in water, or metal skewers

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.

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.

Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 ounce; 28 g), plus more for serving

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 5 medium cloves garlic (2 peeled and minced; 3 unpeeled)

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

• 10 ounces (283 g) green beans, ends trimmed

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 ounce; 15 g)

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) half-and-half, plus more as needed

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.)

5. Remove pan from oven. Transfer chicken and green beans to a large serving platter and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.

6. 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.

7. 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.

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.

Each summer, my friend Michaela hosts a backyard barbecue and makes the world’s best grilled chicken. For years, I’ve begged her for the recipe—and this summer, she finally shared it. She starts with a zesty cilantro chimichurri, using part of it to marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs and saving the rest to serve alongside the finished meal. The resulting meat is tender and juicy, with a vibrantly green and herbaceous sauce.

While Michaela serves her chicken straight off a gas grill, my charcoal grill requires more effort than I’m willing to put in on a weeknight. So to recreate the grilled chicken’s charred, smoky flavors in my kitchen, I turn to my broiler. To make this tasty chicken into a true one-pan meal, I roast vegetables on the same sheet pan until they’re nicely charred but still sweet and juicy, then serve everything with the reserved chimichurri and some rice, roasted potatoes, or flatbreads.

Chimichurri With a Twist

Argentinean chimichurri traditionally includes parsley, oregano, garlic, oil, and vinegar. Here, I add a generous handful of cilantro to intensify the chimichurri’s fresh, herbaceous flavor, then mix about a third of a cup with half a teaspoon of honey to make the marinade. The additional sugar from the honey provides a hint of sweetness and helps promote browning, giving the chicken a satisfying grilled flavor. You can marinate the chicken for just an hour, but for even better results, you can let it sit for up to eight hours. (As Serious Eats contributor Tim Chin found in his marinades investigation, the ideal marination time is between one and eight hours.) The portion of the chimichurri that’s reserved to use as a sauce also benefits from an extended rest in the fridge, as this allows the flavors to meld and mellows the bite of raw garlic.

Pre-Salt Your Zucchini

A colorful mixture of vegetables is what really turns this dish into a satisfying meal. I like to use zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion, all cut into similarly sized pieces so that they cook at roughly the same rate. Since zucchini contains a lot of water and can become mushy in the oven, I pre-salt it to draw out excess moisture, which helps it keep its shape when cooked and prevents the meal from becoming waterlogged. Even after salting the zucchini, you may notice a bit of liquid on the pan once the chicken and vegetables are cooked. These schmaltzy juices aren’t a problem, and are delicious spooned over rice or soaked up with a piece of bread.

Your Broiler Is Your Friend

While the broiler doesn’t deliver the exact same smokiness as a grill, it’s a solid alternative for achieving some char. The key is to position a rack near the top of the oven—about six inches below the heating element—and let the broiler preheat for about five minutes so it’s nice and hot.

Round out the Meal However You Like

I eat this one-pan chicken dinner all the time, and part of the reason I never tire of it—aside from how delicious it is—is that it’s endlessly adaptable. I usually pile the chicken and vegetables into warm flatbreads, but rice or roasted potatoes are great vehicles that help round out the meal.

My dad sampled the dish while I was developing the recipe, and it’s since joined his weekly rotation, too. He likes to add fresh vegetables like sliced cucumber and red onion to the plate for a refreshing crunch, along with kalamata olives to bring a briny, savory note. However you serve it, be sure to finish with generous spoonfuls of the reserved chimichurri. The vibrant sauce is the real star of the show—and the reason my family can’t get enough of this easy weeknight dinner.

Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)

• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 2 ounces; 57 g), leaves and tender stems only

• 1 large bunch cilantro (about 2 ounces; 57 g), leaves and tender stems only

• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh oregano (about 1/2 ounce; 15 g), see notes

• 2 medium cloves garlic (10 g)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more as needed

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 4 to 6

• 1/2 teaspoon honey

• 1 medium zucchini (7 ounces; 200 g), cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 1 cup whole cherry tomatoes (about 6 ounces; 170 g)

• 1 small red bell pepper (about 4 1/4 ounces; 120 g), cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1/2 medium red onion (4 1/2 ounce; 130 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• Cooked long-grain rice; flatbreads, such as pita; or roasted potatoes, for serving (optional)

1. For the Chimichurri: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add olive oil and vinegar and pulse until just combined; season to taste with additional salt and vinegar.

2. In a large bowl, toss chicken thighs with honey and 1/3 cup of chimichurri to evenly coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Place remaining chimichurri in an airtight container; refrigerate until ready to use. (Alternatively, chicken can be marinated in a zip-top bag. Place chicken and 1/3 cup dressing in a zip-top bag, seal, and massage chicken through plastic until evenly coated with dressing.)

3. Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Arrange cut zucchini in a single layer and sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit to allow zucchini to release excess moisture, about 15 minutes. Firmly pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel; set aside.

4. Adjust oven rack to upper third position of oven, about 6 inches below the heating element, and heat broiler to high.

5. Remove chicken from marinade; on a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet, space thighs out so there is plenty of space between them; discard marinade. Arrange zucchini, cherry tomatoes red pepper, and onions around chicken. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season evenly with a pinch of salt.

6. Broil until chicken is dark golden brown and vegetables are just beginning to char, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and vegetables, and broil until vegetables are tender and chicken is lightly charred and measures 185°F (85°C) on an instant-read thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes. (See notes.)

7. Serve with reserved chimichurri, rice, flatbread, or roasted potatoes, if desired.

Special Equipment

Food processor, rimmed 13- by-18-inch baking sheet, tongs

Notes

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano can be used in place of fresh oregano.
The strength of a broiler can vary greatly based on the model of your oven. It may take up to 14 minutes per side for your chicken to properly brown. 

Make-Ahead and Storage

The chimichurri can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.