Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken Thighs
- whitneykmcgee
- Jul 16
- 3 min read
As a homeschool mom of five, I’m always looking for meals that check all the boxes: simple, nourishing, kid-approved, and low-effort when dinner time rolls around. Weekdays are hectic—from lessons to activities to just keeping everyone alive and fed. That’s why this Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Carrots has become a lifesaver in our kitchen.
The beauty of this dish is in the prep. I do it all in the morning—just a quick marinade of chicken thighs with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and a few herbs. I slice up some onions and carrots (or whatever veggie needs using in the fridge), toss it all together, and let the flavors hang out in the fridge while we go about our day.
Then in the late afternoon, when the “what’s for dinner?” chaos starts creeping in… I simply dump everything onto a sheet pan (or two, depending on how many are joining us that night), pop it in the oven, and let it roast to golden, juicy perfection.
This meal never comes out dry. The onions get sweet and caramelized, the carrots tender, and the lemony juices in the pan are absolutely perfect for soaking up with a slice of crusty sourdough bread—don’t skip that part. It makes the whole thing feel elevated with zero extra effort.
It’s just as perfect in the busy school year as it is in the summer, when we’ve been out all day and want something homemade that doesn’t require standing over a stove. You could even served this to guests and no one will be about to guess how little time it took to pull together. And the best part? Even our pickiest eater goes back for seconds.
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:
For the chicken:
• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Zest + juice of 1 lemon
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
• 1 tsp dried rosemary or 2 tsp fresh
• 1 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp fresh
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
For the Vegetables:
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 2 large yellow onions, cut into thick wedges
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Fresh black pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice/zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs.
Rub mixture all over the chicken thighs. Marinate for 15 minutes or several hours. Put the chicken back into the fridge if you are cooking later in the day.
Cut your veggies and place in a bowl. If you are cooking later in the day, pause here and do not add the remaining ingredients. However, if you are cooking now, toss the carrots and onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on toss the carrots and onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the sheet pan. lined sheet pan.
Add the marinated chicken thighs to the veggies.
Roast for 30-40 minutes until the internal temp has reached 165°F. Cooking time might be longer if you had your meat and veggies in the fridge from prepping earlier in the day.
Let everything rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.
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