Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Red Cabbage & Sweet Potatoes

This Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Red Cabbage & Sweet Potatoes recipe is the kind of dish that practically cooks itself while you kick back and let your oven do all the heavy lifting. Just throw the chicken into a quick lemony marinade while the oven preheats. Toss the cabbage and sweet potatoes in a little oil, then put it all together onto one trusty sheet pan and voilà! Dinner is just about good to go. Better yet, cleanup is just as simple as tossing that sheet pan into the sink. Not only that, but this combo of veggies adds plenty of gut-healthy fiber and antioxidants to help tame inflammation. So, grab your sheet pan, your veggies and a package of chicken thighs and read on for our best tips and tricks for whipping up this delicious one-pan dinner tonight.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• The corners of the baking sheet are the hottest and thus the perfect place to roast your chicken thighs. This allows the chicken skin to crisp rather than steam. 
• The chicken thighs should register at least 165°F to be considered done, but it’s OK to let them go beyond that. Chicken thighs are very forgiving and can still be tender and juicy when cooked to higher temperatures. If your cabbage is not a little charred and crisp by the time the chicken hits 165°F, continue cooking everything together until the veggies are done. 

Nutrition Notes

• Red cabbage is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds called sulforaphane and anthocyanins, which have been shown to help reduce inflammation. Cabbage also contains glucosinolates, a plant compound that turns into isothiocyanates in the body and may help protect against certain cancers. 
• Sweet potatoes get their orange color from beta carotene, a nutrient that converts into vitamin A in the body to help support eye health. Soluble fiber is another nutrient found in this starchy vegetable. Eating enough fiber is linked to improved heart and gut health.
• Chicken thighs are a complete source of protein, as they provide the nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce. These amino acids are crucial for many functions, from muscle growth to cell repair. Chicken thighs contain tryptophan, an amino acid that is responsible for raising serotonin, a neurochemical that supports a healthy mood.