Picked With Passion

This healthy Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Broccoli made with a light garlic butter sauce may just be my new favorite sheet pan meal. It’s got everything I love – perfectly roasted chicken, crispy potato wedges, and roasted broccoli all cooked on the same pan for easy cleanup. 

Chicken and potatoes are a staple in almost every household but it can quickly get boring. Plain chicken breast, a simple baked potato, and maybe a steamed veggie or salad. It’s easy and healthy, but let’s be honest, it isn’t the most exciting dinner. That’s where this recipe comes in. It takes all the elements of a classic chicken, potato, and vegetable dinner but makes it something you will crave. Let’s be real, everything tastes better when it is covered in a rich garlic butter sauce and roasted to bring out all the flavors.

It’s also the type of meal that is easy to pull off on a busy weeknight without the need to get out a million pans or worry about timing out a bunch of separate dishes. From start to finish, you can make the whole dish in 30-40 minutes depending on how quickly you can chop. You can always use chopped bagged broccoli and smaller chicken breasts or cutlets to speed things up.

Since chicken, potatoes, and broccoli don’t cook in the same amount of time, it’s important to start by roasting the potatoes. You will want to cut them into fairly small wedges so they don’t take hours in the oven. Usually, I get 8-10 wedges per potato by simply cutting the potato in half lengthwise and then cutting the halves into 4-5 wedges. Those will cook for about fifteen minutes on their own before you add the chicken and broccoli. Doing this ensures you get crispy, fully cooked potatoes without ending up with dry, overcooked chicken. 

Now let’s talk about the sauce for this chicken and potatoes for a moment. The secret to getting tons of flavor without having to use tons of oil or butter is to use chicken broth. It will add a nice, rich flavor to the whole dish. And when it is paired with lots of freshly chopped garlic and herbs from the Italian seasoning, it becomes something rich and magical. 

Tips for this Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Broccoli

• Chicken: If possible, I normally try to use organic chicken breast or a chicken breast that doesn’t have added liquid. Not only are these chicken breasts smaller, they also release much less water when they cook. If you are using larger chicken breasts, I would recommend cutting them in half, like a chicken cutlet, so they will cook in the 12-15 minutes the recipe calls for. If you think they will take longer due to the size, you can add them earlier in the cooking process. Just wait to add the broccoli so that it doesn’t burn.
• Veggies: Although I am a huge fan of roasted broccoli, lots of people like to make this recipe with green beans. Chicken, potatoes, and green beans is definitely a popular choice and will work fine with this recipe. Carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, and snap peas are all good options as well.
• Low carb and paleo: For Paleo folks, you can use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. You could also use turnips, rutabaga, or celeriac for a low carb twist.
• Spice blends: The options are endless with how you can flavor up this meal. I love it with the rosemary and thyme that’s in a classic Italian seasoning blend. It’s also delicious with Cajun seasoning for a spicy kick, homemade or store-bought ranch seasoning, or lemon pepper.

Can you cook chicken and potatoes together?

That all depends on the size of the chicken, part of the chicken, and the size of the potatoes. Let’s start with the basics. At 400 degrees, it will take 45-60 minutes to roast baby potatoes, halved smaller potatoes, or quartered regular potatoes.  If you have pieces larger than that, it will take longer and if you have pieces smaller than that, it will be faster. Since I wanted these potatoes to cook in 30 minutes, I went with smaller wedge style pieces. Now let’s talk chicken. As you may have expected, it depends on size. A 6-8 ounces ounce thick breast will probably take between 25-35 minutes. A bone-in chicken breast will take 45-60 minutes. Bone in thighs take about 30-40 minutes and boneless thighs take 20-25 minutes.  Again since I wanted the chicken to be fully cooked in about 15 minutes, I went with smaller breast pieces. 

So to cook chicken and potatoes together, you just need to choose a combination that works or add one element later in the cooking process, like we did in this recipe. If something doesn’t go right, you can always remove the chicken or potatoes early to prevent overcooking. Also, if you are ever worried about raw chicken or it not being fully cooked, I recommend purchasing a meat thermometer and using these USDA guidelines. I included my favorite at the bottom of the post.

Can I add rosemary to this dish? I love rosemary chicken and potatoes.

Yes! When I first starting making this recipe and sharing it with friends, I would always get asked about rosemary. You can absolutely add it. Just add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly chopped rosemary to the sauce. Also, there is some rosemary in the Italian seasoning I recommended, so you will still get some of that flavor if you follow the recipe.

Products and tools used to make this recipe:

• There are all kinds of Italian seasoning out there.  Usually, I make my own or use this one that you can find at the grocery store or on Amazon.
• I have this meat thermometer and love it. It works in the oven and on the grill and makes it super easy to check the temperature of your meat as it cooks. For anyone who is nervous about cooking meat and/or overcooks meat frequently due to those nerves, this is a worthwhile investment.